The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-17


safeguard the interests of the govern.
ment and at the same time make rea.
sonable provision for the needs OF
those who have given the best part OF
their lives to the service of the state.
In every case where technical proc,
esses have been studied 1t has been
! demonstrated beyond question that
/ large economies may be effected. The
subjects first approached were those
which lie close to each administrator
4 viz, office practices. An illustration OF
the possibilities within this field may
! be found in the results of the inquiry
into the methods of handling and filing
correspondence. Every office in the
| government has reported its methods
| to the commission. These reports
brought to light the fact that present
methods were quite the reverse of uni
form Some offices follow the practice
of briefng all correspondence; some do
! not. Some have fial dies; others fold
/ nil papers before filing Some use press
| copies; others retain only carbon cop
| les.
Cost of Handling and Filing Core
spondence.
The reports also show not only q
very wide range in the methods of
doing this comparatively simple part
of the government business, but an ex.
traordinary range In cost. For the
handling of incoming mail the aver
ages Of cost by departments vary from
1884 to SS4. 40 per 1000. For the han
ding of outgoing mail the averages by
departments vary from 1924 to $69S9
per 1000. This does not include the
cost of preparation, but is confined
merely to the physical side of the
work. The variation between indi-
vidual Offices is many times greater
than that shown for averages by de-
partments
1t has been found that differences of
average cost by departments closely
follow differences In method and that
the greatest cost is found in the de-
partment where the method Is most
involved. Another fact is of interest
referred to, which show the lowest
averages. orders have been issued
which will lead to large saving with
out impairing efficiency. II cannot be
what the saving ultimately will be
when the attention of officers In all of
the departments has been focused on
present methods wits view to chang
ing them in such manner as to reduce
cost to the lowest point compatible
with efficient service. II, however,
must be a considerable percentage of
nearly 100000, the total estimated
cost of handling this part of the gov
eminent business at Washington.
Need For Labor Saving Office Devices.
The use of labor saving Office devices
In the service has been made the sub
ject Of special inquiry An impression
prevails that the government Is not
making use of mechanical devices for
economizing labor to the same extent
as are efficiently managed private en-
terprises. A study has been made of
the extent to which devices of this
character are now being employed in
the several branches Of the govern
ment and the opportunities that exist
for their more general use. In order
to secure information as to the various
kinds of labor saving devices that are
in existence and as TO their adaptable
ity 10 government work, an exhibition
of labor saving office appliances was
held in Washington from July 6 TO Is,
1911. One hundred and ten manufac-
turers and dealers participated, and
more than 10000 officers and employees
visited the exhibition. There is no
doubt that the exhibition served the
purpose of bringing to the attention of
officers devices which can be employed
by them with advantage. The holding
of this exhibition was, however. but
step preparatory to the contemplated
investigation.
Unnecessary Cost Of Copy Work.
The efforts of the commission result
ed also In the adoption by several bu- /
reaus or departments Of improved !
methods Of doing copying. The amount |
of copy work Heretofore done by hand /
each year in the many offices is esti-
mated to aggregate several hundred |
thousand dollars. The commission ex-
hibited at its offices appliances that |
were thought to be especially adapted !
to this kind Of government work. Fol- !
lowing these demonstrations methods 4
of copying were introduced which have (
brought about saving of over 70 per |
cent in offices where used for six |
This change in one small cross
section of Office practice will more than
Offset the whole cost Of my inquiry.
Waste In Distribution of Public Docu-
ments.
Going outside the office, one of the
processes which has been in
vestlgated is the distribution of depart
mental documents. This is subject /
with which both the congress and adj
heads are familiar The
prevailing practice in handling depart
mental publications is to have them
at the government print
Ing office. Each job when completed
Is delivered to the department Here
the books or pamphlets are wrapped
and addressed. They are then sent to
the postofiice. There they are assorted
and prepared for shipment through the
mails. From the postofice they are