Evening star., 1921-07-19
S3,500,ODO SAVED
IN NOPERAT|NGCOST
SYPUBL|CPR|NTER
Vast Cuts Effected by Gov
ernment Office Through
Economy.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT
TO RECEIVE S2,316,786
Mr.. Carter Expects That Expenses
Can Be Pruned to Even
Greater Extent.

Three and IA half million dollars has
| been cut from the expenditure rolls Of
the government printing office since
George II. Carter has been public
printer, II was learned from state
ment issued from the Office today.
Of this amount, $2,316.7s6 will be
returned to the Treasury Department
out of the printing appropriation for
the past fiscal year while $1.123,536.7D
is the estimated saving from the APP
preparations of the current fiscal year
| which Mr.. Carter has reported to the
bureau of the budget.
Rigid Economy Prarticed.
During the months of April, May and
June Mr.. Carter effected a reduction
amounting to half Il million dollars
a month in the expenditures of the
office, the actual decrease for that
period as compared with the same
three months Ia 1920 being S1.50S,
323.Il. Rigid economy is credited as
the cause for the saving.
reduction in purchases of paper,
machinery. equipment and supplies
for the Office. which the printer de-
clded was not necessary at this time,
especially in view of the declining
market. resulted in IA saving Of ST.
5S.i69.Si. The remainder of the de-
crease for tn" tnrcv months. totalns
sl5O.053s1. WAS due 10 reduction in
the total of wages paid. as compared
! with the preceding year on July !,
when there We're 322 more employees
on the rolls.
Appropriation, SS.O95,IOO.32.
The direct appropriation for the
government printing office the last
fiscal year amounted TO sS.095. 5.100.52.
in addition to which that office did
printing paid for from other funds in
excess of s5,75o,iil. The total funds
handled by the public printer thus
amounted to s13.s45.2l1.52 for the
fiscal year just ended. The repay
printing alone, which is paid for by
the departments from funds other than
the regular printing aflotments. in
: creased s1.143.231 over the preceding
5 fiscal year, but, notwithstanding this
increase in repay printing. the ex-
penditures OF the government print
ing office for the year show a net de-
crease of $2.14S.419.93 as compared
with the fiscal year 1920.
As before indicated. Sl.50S,523.71 of
this decrease was effected by Mr. Car
ter during the last three months of
the fiscal year, while the decrease dur
ing the nine months Of the year that
, his predecessor was in charge of the
, government printing office amounted
to s639, ,S96.22.
The decreased expenditures will
make it possible for the public printer
to turn back into the Treasury more
: than s2.316.1S6 as the uneNpended bal
ance of the direct appropriation of
, sS.095l00.52 which Congress made to
the government printing office for the
fiscal year just ended.
The net saving in the direct apDro-
! priationS for the last year is FULLY 81
per cent, Notwithstanding the plant
!, improvements which Mr.. Carter has
, under way. such as the alterations of
the eighth floor to provide a big cafe
terra and auditorium for the en-
rloyes, the expense of which has al
ready been charged to the appropria-
tion for the last fiscal year and ac-
counted for in the reductions.
Saving on Paper.
In its report to the budget bureau
the government printing office has
estimated a saving of at least ST.
: 123 3.536.10 out of the direct appropria-
tion of $7.4S5.4O2.7O for the public
printing and binding the ensuing fis-
cal year. This is a reduction of more
: than 10 per cent, which the public
printer figures can be saved the COM
, ing year by the government printing
, office in cooperation with the bud
: get bureau and the departments
Ihe principal items in this saving
. are an estimated reduction of at least
year and the more economical opera-
: ton of the government printing Of
hce The public printer states that
even greater reductions can be made
II the departments themselves de-
crease the amount of printing ordered
of the government printing office In
] his report to the budget bureau. the
. pubic printer estimates that repay
/ printing ordered of him can be re-
a duced by fully Sl.000.OU0 the coming
year. The figures for such printing
may amount to approximately S4SOO-
GoO as compared with S5,750.111 which
the departments spent for printing
last year from appropriations other
than their regular printing allot-
ments.
1t has been the practice of public
2 printers to stock up the warehouse of
the government printing office during
the closing months of fiscal year
if they found sufficient funds on hand
for that purpose. Mr.. Carter decided
that such procedure was not to the
best interests of the government at
this time, especially in view of the
, prevailing market conditions and the
, plans of the budget bureau for rigid
economies in the public printing and
|, binding.
; Explains Policy.
/ 81 concluded it would be a most un-
: businesslike and decidedly improper
, use of the peoples money to contract
!, for vast quantities of supplies, such
: as paper and expensive machinery. in
/ the face of a declining market" said
= Mr.. Carter. in explaining the big un-
I expended balance he is turning back
: into the public Treasury.
"We have a fair stock of paper and
other materials on hand and / believe
! further reductions in prices will fully
+ Justify my refusal to stock up at this
l time.
e I'm any event. I am sure that Con-
2 eress would rather have me turn this
9 money back into the Treasury now.
and later ask for additional funds.
q with which to buy supplies and equip
ment, IL needed, in the future, than
e To have me load up at high prices and
= without regard to the needs OF the
( service Though the office could make
3 good use of considerable new ma
Z chinery and Congress authorized me
/ to expend 100000 for this purpose
: aIone / have spent only s2.10O for
necessary machinery. as believe that
, lower prices the coming year Will
fnily warrant this action. as well as
e INV refusal to fill the warehouse with
3 hieh-Ariced paper and other materials.
h The day has passed when favored
contractors can fill their pockets with
nrofits from the government printing
Iacn Of thA AYpenS0 of the publt0