Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-03
SPROUL ASKS AIDES
TO CUT EXPENSES.
ss0rsst Savings Possible in
- Printing, Telephone and
Telegraph Bills
zCRlTIClzES USE OF AUTOS
BY the Associated Press

Harrisburg, June 2 --- Reduction Of
16Rhe expenses of .Pcnnsylvania's State
Ssovernmcnt. including less rcduisition-
-ethg for supplies and printing, decrease
MOT telegraph and telephone charges
Hewhere letters will suffice and stopping
-sof "indiscriminate use Of State owned
ve4utomobilcs. was called for in n letter
sent today to the head Of every branch
.sQf the State Government by Governor
Sproul. II is the first time any Gov
ernor in recent years has SO addressed
s=fhe hoffcials al the State Capitol and
,.s4he Governor SAYS frankly he looks for
Efforts to poonomze and points out
l ways, including the shutting OF OF
electric lights not required.
H. When the Governor was working on
the general appropriation bill hc ex
l pressed the opinion allowed for various
I purposes. contingent expenses tele-
1 phone calls. etc. were too much and
E cut down many of them. His letter to-
day follows up that action and while
compimenting people connected with
the State offices for the general diSposi.
tion to cooperate he indicates where
the saving can begin in the interest of
4 good business practices: The Governors
letter says;
"At this time. when every effort
should be made to economize in public
and private expenditures. feel that it
Is my duty to draw the attention of all
1 the departments of our State Govern
ment to the absolute requirement that
our demands for supplies and materials
be reduced to the lowest limit con-
sistent with good service
Large Savings Possible
Due TO the demands uron the State
for carrying on its essential activities.
and in view of the uncertainty of our
revenues in times Of industrial and com.
mercial depression. [ have been Obliged
to reduce the appropriations to the va
rious departments. and especially to the
4 Department of Public Grounds ana
q Buildings and the Department of Pub
N lie Printing. These two latter depart
ments furnish most OF tn" supplies for
T. the use Of the other departments. and
the Department Of Public Grounds and
Buildings also handles the matters Of
rentals. telephone charges. etc. which
enter into the general cost of the State
Government.
81 am Of the opinion that large
amounts may be saved by our depart
ment heads if acquisitions for Office sup
plies, furniture and for printed matter
shall be carefully scanned by them be
fore being approved, and that nothing
be ordered but such things as are alb
y solutrly necessary. Requlstious Of all
kinds should be personally inspected and
approved by the heads of departments
o. authorized deputies. The costs Of
various supplies and of paper and print
ing are still high. and | have found by
Investigation that there is much waste
and loss in these things. Oftentimes
furniture. equipment and various para
phernalia required in the offices may be
utilized for a much longer period than
has been the custom in the past. and by
a little skill in management the ueces
sity for ordering additional supplies
s may be avoided.
"a very large item of expense is in
the use OF the telephone and this is
especially true in long distance calls.
Oftentimes costly telephone calls or trIc-
grams have been charged up TO the
State. where letter would have done
as well. During the war period and
times of great public stress there might
be some excuse for greater eXnenS" IN
these directions. but nov is tho time
10 save and to husband our public re
sources in every way possible.
Use Of Automobiles Criticized
"The indiscriminate use Of State au-
tomobiles is also open to criticism, and,
In many cases there have been abuses
6f the privileges given. which may lead
20 n closer restriction upon the use of
these very necessary adjuncts to the
public service.
"Our departments may do much to
cut down the bills for electric light.
also. by ordinary care in turning on
: the current only when il is necessary
for use. These items, while not large
: individually. will amount TO u consid-
cradle sum in the aggregate.
"Generaly speaking, | am pleased
y with the disposition TO cooperate
shown by our officials and employees.
There is an mir OF busineSs-lke atton-
ton TO duty about the Capitol and state
Offices. which is commcndablc md on
couraging and tho fine spirit show
has been favorably commented upon b.
visitors from different sections Of Penn
sylyania and from other States.
"The requests which are now mad,
for care and economy in the rs" OF all
"a of the things which go toward making
up the bills of expense Of carving or
our State Government arc reasonable
and trust that We may find still
further improvement in conditions nj
fecting these matters.