Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-29
LARGEST STORE
MAY BE OPERATED HERE
Would Keep in Stock All Kinds of
Supplies Used by the Federal
Government.
CONGRESS is FOR PLAN

oLlCh 1hd0O . poII VI thc SoHlIdSl
prices.
(s) The shipment of supplies in car
load lots, eliminating the cost of many
individual shipments-frequently by
express.
% A great reduction in the number
of orders and vouchers, due to the
unification of purchase for all de-
partments. thus doing away with
| much entangling red tape"
60 The broadening of competition
for government supply contracts by
the consolidation of quantities and
the asking for bids for delivery OF
specific quantities at given time. in
stead of large number of individual
orders for indefinite quantities dis
| tributed through given period.
CO. Having supply on hand SO that
any government establishment can
get prompt delivery of any article
needed. thus avoiding waste Of hu-
man energy during delays. eliminate
ing many exigencies and open-market
purchase.
CD Getting cash discount for prompt
payment for supplies, where now the
contractor has to wait from three to
eight months for his pay.
i 90 Standardization of government
supplies.
May BE Countrywide.
Both the legislative proposal of the
interdepartmental general supply
committee and the bill drafted by
Representative Wood consider the
government service in the National
Capital, but members of Congress
who have been studying the matter
say it should be worked out to cover
the needs of the federal offices
throughout the entire country. They
think that the general feature could
be worked out subsequent to the es-
tablishment of the budget bureau.
Members of Congress-both demo-
Gratis and republicans-say very posi-
lively that legislation of this sort
lis badly needed" But while Repre-
sentative Wood is eager to get his
bill through the House at the earliest
moment, the republican leaders seem
to think that they would make better
Roadway by waiting until the new
Congress, when they expect to have
a Congress and executive in closer
agreement regarding legislation.
The government coal yard, which
supplies fuel to all the government
establishments. is cited as a fine ex-
ample of economy and efficiency that
can be achieved by unifying the
federal purchases.
Representative Wood is convinced
that practically to a man the men,
bership of the House will vote for
his proposed purchasing reform be-
cause 1.-The people back home" have
seen the marked advantage of unfit
cation of purchases. He said: This
matter has received considerable at
tention throughout the states. For
merly in every state, 1 suspect. every
Independent agency made it's own
purchases. The insane asylum made
it's purchases, and the penitentiaries
made their purchases, and so did all
of the other agencies of the state
governmental Many Of the states have
adopted a general purchasing agency,
which purchases for all Of its diff
ferent institutions. 1t is a we'll
known fact that this has resulted in
the saving Of millions Of dollars to
the states. II that is true OF the
states I do not see why it would
not be as practicable and result cor
respondingly to the federal govern
ment"
The intention is to provide a re-
volving fund, or working capital.
amounting to a million dollars, to
make the original purchase of sup
plies, this to be paid back as goods
are delivered to the various depart
ments and other establishments. The
recommendation Of the present in
terdepartmental general supply COM
mittee is that the proposed central
supply bureau should have three di-
visions, % of contract, co of pur-
chase and CD Of stores.
Representative Woods bill includes
provision for salary of $4,000
for the director of supply"
Paul F. Myers, chief clerk and SUI
perintendent of the Treasury Depart
ment, and NJ. F. Jacques, the present
executive officer of the general sup
ply committee. explain that the es-
of general storehouse
of supplies will absorb about seventy
supply stores in the various govern
ment workshops. most of which carry
heavy stocks. Under the present con-
tract plan it takes thirty to sixty
days to get deliveries. The depart
ments, bureaus and independent es-
to avoid these delays
buy in advance and keep stocks on
hand. IF there were a bureau Of
supplies where they could get de-
livery in a day." Mr.. Myers said.
there would be no reason for their
keeping supplies on hand"
Red Tape Ii Expensive.
How the cutting away of much Of
the red tape now incumbering the
purchase of supplies will effect econ
omy is pointed out in the recon-
of the general supply
The enormous volume of
vouchers for the payment of supplies
which have to be prepared and
recorded by the purchasing officers
delays the payment of
bills for supplies purchased by the
The delays under pres
crease the cost of supplies. They
have a very great effect in lettering
and many of the best
business firms in the country from
bidding for government requirements