The Washington times., 1917-08-17

PRINT BONDS;
PRIVATE BIDS
ARE TOO HIGH
Treasury Officials Order Ralph
to Make Best of Situation.
Director RedoubIes Efforts to
Get Plate EngraverS.
By BILL PRICE.


Private engraving and printing
concerns located outside Of Wash
ington have submitted to the Treas
ury bids for printing Liberty loan
bonds that are so far above the cost
of getting them out in the Bureau
Of Engraving and Printing, that it
has been decided that the bureau
will have to do the best possible with
the emergency now confronting it.
Bids received by the Treasury De-
psrtment late yesterday caused pro-
found surprise among officials who
studied the figures. It was officially
stated today that these bids ran
from $50 to 800 per cent above what
It has cost the Government to do the
same work under Director Ralph.
Buyers Must Wait.
The figures are so high that under
no circumstances will any Of the work
be let out. and Director Ralph will be
instructed that he will have to do the
best In his power, regardless Of the
delay in the delivery TO subscribers
OF the bonds recently bought BY them.
and in lieu Of which they now have
temporary certificates.
Mr.. Ralph will rsdoubls the efforts
he has made for some months TO OBJ
tain plate printers and other trained
workers.
To relieve the strain that will be
made by the next issue OF bonds.
Treasury officials are today trying
TO work out plans by which the bu-
reau will be saved as far as possible
from printing temporary obligations.
II the plans OF Secretary McAdoo for
the next issue can be worked out in
advance the bureau will be directed to
20 to work upon engraving and print
ing the actual bonds to be delivered,
thereby saving a duplication OF work
that has been necessary in the recent
issue by first printing temporary
bonds and later the permanent ones.
Plate Printers Attack Ralph.
The Plate Printer, the official organ
OF the plate Printers OF the country,
will tomorrow editorialiy attack Mr..
Ralph for alleged Inconsistency in
confronts his establishment. It will
be pointed out that Mr.. Ralph is badly
in need OF plate printers, but will not
ask that printers called in the FIRST
draft Of the national army be ex-
eInpted on the ground that their serv-
ices are of greater Importance to the
Government here than in the army.
Plate printers are just as willing
as any other men 10 serve their coun-
try in whatever capacity called, the
editorial sets forth, but Mr.. Ralph
must elect between the presses and
the front He must decide where the
plate printers can best serve the ma
tion. II the bureau lie short Of print
ers, IL the director needs men, why
does he let these be taken from him
when he says it will be impossible TO
replace them?"
At the Bureau It was said today that
probably-tYenty employees are affected
by the first draft and that about ten
OF them are plate printers. Mr.. Ralph
will not ask for exemption unless di-
rected by officials above him. II a
much larger number OF plate printers
were in the FIRST call Mr.. Ralph might
ask for exemption 1t was stated.
Ryan Charges Cheap Economy.
That the bureau IL facing a tough
proposition in connection with the
war bonds. representatives Of plate |
printers today admitted, but Editor |
Ryan OF the Plate Printer, which has
fought Director Ralph for years. |
charges It all up TO the director him
self Back in 1911. when there was
trouble between the plate printers |
and Mr.. Ralph and he thought the |
Republican ticket in 1912 might be |
hurt by his actions" said Mr.. Ryan |
today, 'sAr. Ralph promised to add |
271 plate printers TO his force between |
that time and 1918. Instead Of doing |
this he has discharged men and only |
recently has begun hunting for |
printers. He has steadily refused to |
put on Apprentices and has not for /
some years asked the Civil Service |
for an apprentice list. I do not stand |
for apprentices except as laid down 1
by the International Union, but Mr.. |
Ralph's course for years has been
such a. to diminish the number Of |
printers rather than have enough on /
hand to meet emergencies. He prac-
tices cheap economy. He is to blame |
for this himself"
Mr.. Ralph's friends today stated
that he has sought to keep the plate
printers under him busy at all tinIes
and that he avoided hiring apprsn-
tices because that would mean that
sooner or later he would have to let
men 60. He could not forseS thu
emergencies caused by the wac any
more than hundreds Of other Gov
eminent officials. they say.