The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1916-07-21
INTELLIGENT MANAGEMENT
OF A PUBLIC INDUSTRY

f OF A PUBLIC INDUSTRY
The interest Of people in public at.
fairs is considerably heightened when
they learn that the revenues of the
government are wisely and judicious-
ly managed. A statement Of eco
nomic expenditure which Is suscepti-
BILE of proof will always attract at
tention and please the thoughtful
reader.
Among the varied industrial enter
prises Of the Post Office Department
In Washington is an establishment
devoted entirely to the manufacture
OF mail locks and the bag attach
ments used in mail transportation.
When this administration came into
power, the department sorely need
ed an improved type of mail lock.
The shop was Immediately reorgan-
lied, placed on a business basis and
its activities enlarged SO as to meet
this imperative demand. Within a
very short time a new and greatly
improved lock had been devised and
its production begun.
The lock in use weighed 5 " ounc-
| es; the new one weighs AS ounces.
As 100000 of this new product have
been put into service, the difference
IN weight (the government paying
as much for the weight of equipment
as it does for the mail itself) can be,
easily calculated. The locks replaced
by this new and better style cost 81
cents each to make; those now being
manufactured cost S1a cents, direct
and indirect charges considered, the
saving thus shown on original cost
of production to date amounting to
$5S,750. OF the old style, $4,000
were annually returned for repair at
cost Of about 8 cents each. OF the
new style, out Of the great number
sent into the service, but 900 have
been returned, and as these new style
locks can be repaired at cost of 3
cents each, the annual saving on this
item will amount to over $2,1O0.
The department has in this admin
istration encouraged its employees to
give their best service to the govern
| mani and Ymony inotanoao haya ra
Gently come to notice wherein the
department has greatly profited by
this wise public policy. In the lock
shop recent achievement in this d.
rection is an improved cord fastener
the work of three of its employees,
for use on bags; also one designed
for locking large quantities of parcel
post matter, which has heretofore
been without this protection. 1t can
be made at very low price, requir-
ing less material and fewer num-
Der Of operations. The significant
part Of this lies in the great number
required ip the service, between
three and four millions, the output
being 100000 annually. AS the cost
has been reduced by the new method
from AZ to cents each, 1t will be
seen what a splendid showing this
makes for administrative economy.
Another valuable improvement has
been the perfect locking cord fasten-
er designed for use on tie sacks,
something which the department for
years has needed and vainly endeav-
ored to accomplish. The device will
be of great value to the postal ser
vice at large by increasing the ca
pacity and efficiency of mail bags to
degree difficult to estimate. The
modern system of business methods
and the proper encouragement of en-
ployees to take an active and earn
est interest in their work, both of
which desirable features this admin
istration of the department has fav-
ored and put into practice, is respon-
sible for the many improvements
made and the advantages gained.
Active experiments are constantly
being made for the betterment of the
service. For many years tremend-
GUS expense has been the labelling Of
the immense quantity Of mail bags
in use. The form Of label used in the
past and still used by clerks all over
the country is the doubling and re-
folding of what is known as the FAC