The Washington times., 1912-03-12
SMOOT SCORES
!: c. P. 0. SYSTEM,
/. CITES BIG LOSS
Pleads for New Laws and
Says He Can Save $6OO,-
iya 900 Annually.
Continued from First Page

hsCdl year Ine expenditures lOr tne
public printing and binding were $685.,
1882 less than for the year prior to the
establishment of the commission. That
decrease of nearly a million dollars
year was due to legislation recommend
ed by this commission and to numerous
printing and binding. This saving in
the Government printing was secured
despite the fact that the volume of
printing and binding increased during
the same period, and it was accomplish
ed without impairing the public SER
vice in the slightest degree"
Senator Smoot said the estimated saw
ing of 100000 did not include the saving
from use of power presses. AS to this
This estimate does not take into con-
sideration the saving that Will be
made by the use of power presses for
the printing of bonds, notes, and checks
at the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing, as that provision has been stricken
out of the present bill as reported back
to the Senate. Perhaps ] ought to state
that the. power-press provision which
the Printing Committee has recommend
ed for consideration in connection with
the sundry civil appropriation bill will
alone make a saving of $4,000 for the
first year. and effect an annual econ
omy of 100000 at the end of five years.
Should Congress enact into law both
the pending bill and the proposed
bonds, notes, and checks. the total an
rual economy that could be effected as
a result of the work of the Printing
Investigation Commission would amount
to more than $1,3O00OO a year in five
years time"
Printing Bill Enormous.
That the Governments printing bill
Smcot as follows:
Perhaps it would be well for m2 to
give the Senate some idea as to the
large expenditures of the Government
Printing Office. In the thirty-siX years
since 1876, Congress has app Oprla lated
fer the Government Printing Office and
the public printing and binding Il total
Of $1iI1S5,S ,S15.S2. This sum is almost
equal to the amount that Congress nov
annually arpropIiatcs for pensions. It
Is AOOOO,OOC greater than the annual
cost of the naval establishment of the
Government, and almost equal to the
amount appropriated for the entire
treasury Department. including public
buildings and works. for the fiscal yeaT.
III The expenditures of the Govern
ment Printing Office for the fiscal year
,lSll were approximately two millioh
greater than the appropriations for the
State Department and within SSO0OCO of
an the salaries and, expenses of Con-
Senator Smoot went into. great detail
as to the various glaring eXtravagances
OF the printing system. The library
edition Of Patent Specifications is cited
as another instance of useless expense
IT was estimated that savings in dis
Itributton would save the Postoffice De-
partment several hundred thousand dol
lars year
Congress should either give the Joint
printing committee control over the
Government Printing Office or place
Ithat office under an executive depart
ment.' But the commission holds its
control should rest with Congress.
Stilings' Regime Scored.
Pointed criticism of the eXtravagances
of the Stillings regime was contained
III the speech. The report of William
S. Rossiter on the audit system is allud-
ed TO- 1t is declared the audit system
which was exposed was an eXtravagance
that cost the Government several hun
dred thousand dollars.
This tribute to former Public Printer
StillingS was given:
AS an example of eXtravaganCes to
which Public Printer may 20 in his
organization of the printing office. let
ME exhibit this scheme of organization
Which Public Printer Stillings estab-
lished in 1908. This Stilings organiZa-
ton was overwhelmed with high sound
ing titles. The office of the Public
Printer was designated as the head
quarters of this army of officers with
awe-inspiring names. The printing Of
fee was divided into so-called grand
divisions each Of which was under
command of a principal officer so
designated
Let me enumcrate for the enlighten-
ntent of the Senate the names of the
grand divisions and the principal Of
lofcCrs' thereof:
'1-HeadQuarters. office of the Public
Printer.
"2-Grand division of special adminis-
tration. in charge of appointment and
correspondence officer.
"3-Grand division OF statistics and
accounts, in charge or Statistician and
ACCOUNTANT.
charge of chief inspector and purchas-
ing agent.
"5-Grand division of maintenance, in
charge of Deputy Public Printer.
"6-Grand division of public doCu-
ments, in charge of superintendent Of
documents, and consisting of the three
following divisions: Administrative,
editorial. and photographed.
"7-Grand division of manufacture, in
charge of superintendent of manufaC-
lures.
succeeding Public Printers have
modified this organization somewhat.
hut have been unable to do little more
than to cut out part of the high sound
ing titles"
System Still Defective.
The commission, however, finds the
system still highly defective: Senator
Smoot said the commission found
that the positions at the Government
Printing Office of superintendent of
work, assistant superintendent Of
work, COmputer in charge, and sep
arate sections for estinating jacket
printing are unnecessary places. Con-
trast Is made of this tOp-heavv or
RaniZation with the simple organiZa-
tion of the Bureau of Engraving.
Abiding to the vast powers of the
Public Printer. senator Smoot said
there was nothing to prevent one
from establishing such a position as
"Grand exalted and most sublime
commander-in inc chief of loose-leaf
binders"
He expressed surprise that press
men of the Government Printing Of
flee ware opposing the bill, though IL
increases their pay cents an hour.
senator SmOOt urged the valuation
plan for distributing documents to
Congress. Removal of the folding
rooms to the Government Printin Z
Office under civil service was also
urged.