Evening star., 1922-08-28
.SAYSU..S S. BUREAU
CAN SAVE s7a),0())
Budget Official Declares En-
craving and Printing
Presses Are Loss.
DISMISSAL NOT LEGAL
House Committee Given Version
of Conditions, and
Economies.
DISMISSAL NOT LEGAL


speedier power presses at the bureau
of engraving and printing instead of
the "old. entirely out-of-date" hand
presses. which lie at the crux of the
present conflict between dismissed
plate printers and the bureau man
agement. would result in "an immedi-
ate saving to the bureau of at least
$750,000 annually"
Thomas p. Littlepage. counsel for
the dismissed union printers, who has
declared in a brief to the solicitor Of
the Treasury on the dismissals that
Director Hill of the bureau violated
the law in dismissing the men, rep
resented the printers at the hearing.
cross-examining Mr.. Barnes, and in
dicated that claims of the printers
would be presented at a later hear
ing of the committee.
UNFOLDING the hand press method
as producing higher quality paper
money harder to counterfeit, Mr..
Littlepage declared today that his
cross-examinatfon of the budget
bureau officer had showed that official
had little expert knowledge Of the
fine art OF printing money" Conten-
tions Of the printers before the COM
mittee later, will be-, Mr.. Littlepage
said. that the hand press method is
best as keeping American money the
most secure of any in the world and
that the power press makes money
"easier to counterfeit"
Dismissal Violation.
Counsel for the dismissed union
plate printers claims that the printers
were dismissed in violation Of the
law. and, under the regulations.
should be taken back. Director Hill
OF the bureau and officials of the
Treasury claim the printers are not
needed. and cannot be taken back
without exceeding the present de-
creased appropriation for the bureau.
which in itself would violate the law.
Charges that the hand press method,
advocated by the plate printers in
tirely out OF date" were made by Mr..
Barnes Of the budget bureau at a
hearing of the House committee in
April, on a bill introduced by Repre-
sentative Madden, providing that the
Secretary of the Treasury should be
given full freedom in control Of the
bureau. whether to use hand presses
or power presses.
when these power presses were
first put into use, 1t was claimed that
they were not capable Of doing as
good work as was done on the old
testified before the committee. later
on, it WAS claimed that the power
press might successfully do the backs
Of the notes, but they could not do
the faces, and do as fine work as the
hand press. Whatever truth there
time, it is no longer true. The power
press, both as to faces and backs, and
irrespective of whether four or eight
are printed at time, does just as
good work s the hand press. Speci-
mems of the work coming from the
different classes Of presses have been
submitted to experts and they can de-
tect no difference"
Chance for Saving in 1921.
If power presses had been used in
the fiscal year 1921. instead Of hand
presses, it was estimated by Mr..
Barnes for the budget bureau. that a
saving of $633,0o0 could have been
affected.
Citing the 1919 law which provided
that the bureau could use power
presses in the war emergency. but
that no plate printers must be dis
missed. Mr.. Barnes said, Whatever
necessity there may at one time have
been for such regulations, we believe
believe that this whole matter could
be safely left to the discretion of the
director"
Summing up the governments pro-
posal, Mr.. Barnes said, Our recon-
mendation is, that all legislative re-
mechanical operations Of this bureau
should be annulled and that the
whole matter be left to the discretion
and control Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury. If this is done. We believe
there will be an immediate saving ng to
nually, that the quality of the work
viii not be deteriorated thereby. that
there will be no additional risks OF
counterfeiting, and that in general the
condition Of the bureau will be much
improved"
Chairman Edgar R Kiess Of the
Committee said the committee wanted
"all information bearing on this par
ttcular subject that 1t can get" and
asked Mr.. Littlepage. representing
the prfntera, when he would present
1t.
|. I'VE will want to present to the
committee" said Mr. Littlepage, some
very concise and accurate data along
this line, and we are preparing It. 1t
is not quite completed. and that In
why we asked to be heard at a later
date, We Will supply, or will attempt
to supply data and information on
this subject that I am sorry Mr.
Barnes does not have. We will try to
give something that will be Of benefit
to the committee.
MI. Lttiepage added. ."it is a much
broader question than just simply
the question Of little economy IN
some printing processes Tnat is !.
In official circles 1t was indicated
today that tho bureau Of engraving
"a nnot afford to take back the print
ers, that IL 1t did, the bureau would
be heavily overemployed. The power
out Satisfactorily high grade paper
money, and it would be extravagance
FOR the 9oyernment to take on moro
printers to do the same work as
power presses at q great increase
In cost. The solicitor, ,s OF .ns st,l Ireas- IA j,
with Director Hin of the bureau
saturday and will be supplied with
further data on tho subject When
he will have q decision. 1t was un-
derstood, 10 uncertain. as the ques-
tion 10 seriously complicated.
director Hill said today one of
two things would probably have to
he done-either more appropriation
to take on tho plate printers or
a new legislation to protect the
bureau.
FORD. PLANT HAS FUEL.
WINDSOR, Ont, /: August 2s.-
chor+.~A of sijpplfes ON the part of