Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-10-13

Washington, D. c.. Oct. 10.-Three
o'clock in the morning may suggest
the end Of a festive evening to some
people. but it is simply lunch time
to 200 workers in the government
printing office. At that dim hour.
when most of US would prefer dream
ing about pie to eating it. the women
who get the Congressional Record
ready for the early morning mail stop
folding and addressing operations to
eat lunch.
A year ago lunch meant a dry or
soggy sandwich out of 9 coat pocket,
eaten In the workroom. Or else 1t
meant a trip along a dark street to
an opeh-all-night restaurant. Lunch
at 3 a. m. was a gloomy diversion
at best in those days.
But now the big government print
ing office has gone in for humanized
efficiency. The G. P. o. Cafeteria and
Recreation association is functioning.
Congressional Record workers hurry
into the elevators hat will carry them
to the new cafeteria IN the top floor
Of the building. After eating a hot
meal served at cost price, they spend
the remainder of their free time
.lounging in a rest room, or in the big
assembly hail playing a photograph
and perhaps dancing.
Cafcterias and recreation rooms in
offices and plants are fairly common
nowadays. But the government print
ing office claims some unusual fea-
lures along these lines. This govern
ment bureau is the first to organize
eating and recreational activities on
a strictly cooperative and self-sus-
tanning basis. with employees forming
the board Of directors and the vari-'
GUS committees . 1t is also the only
government bureau to run a, cafeteria
serving meals on q 24-hour a day
schedule.
Until a year ago the biggest print
ing plant in the world made no spe-
cial effort to provide extras" for its
employees. 1t ave 1900 people jobs.
and provided, them with up-to-date
equipment. scientific lighting, and a
hospital. in case OF accident, If they
wanted to play or to buy T. cooked
Then George H. Carter, public prin-
ter Of the United States. became par
ticularly interested in the lunch prob
lem. Cafes in the neighborhood OF
the printing office were high priced
or dingy. Some 1000 people, Mr..
Carter reflected, were eating around
him every day in the most fmpromptu
fashion. He doubted II stale sand
Wiches and tepid milk could be very
efficient and cheering stirnulants for
the after-iunch work period.
Every inch of ~serviceable space in
the huge building was used for ma
chinerv and workers. But Alr. Carter
studied the pointed roof and the use
LEGS attic under it. He decided that
the roof could be raised at the sides
to form a complete eighth story. he
called Ills employees together and
talked it over, and the result was that
the bureau decided to 60 into the
cafeteria business on q large and Of,
nctent scale The government would
pay for alterations in the buildfne
and for equipment and the EN-.
pioyees' association would undertake.
to finance and direct the business.
Employees Gave Money.
A fund Of $500 was raised by con.
tributtons of one or two dollars from
every member of the new association
and with this capital the cafeteria
started doing business January 70. 10.
day Mr.. Carter estimates that 550,0 0(
meals have been served and the cafe.
terra is saving the employees OF the
office 100000 year.
Prices OF the food served are aaid
TO be from rs to SO per cent cheaper
than those in restaurants in the "A.
cinity Of the bureau. The printina
Office sells soup TO itself at s cent,
q bowl. Salad ~ 40 cents: sandwiche,
are s; pint Of milk. e:Ipie. and cake
81; and yegetables.are 5Nand 8 cents
Even With these low prices the asso,
citation reports thht e has repiacaf
the $500 with which IL started and
that y has lnadS $1,000 profit Id "a.
The ~ hour day Oh which the cafs,
teria&is obliged TO operate, run,
smoothly. The employees who come
on duty for night work can ret al,
supper before be startsihis SHIFT. IurSpi
I'm the early morning, qua breakfas
before he lSayeA the ofdce; Whit,
1.-THE day worker dan getg his thrs,
meals 81 the scafStSria "a mo ~
luai order. SsvsraJ tiundvsd o. fK,
employees do take advanta9e 8of Hi
lp~pportunify 10 eat hIlsof .tielr meal
at ths offics, ahd thus ~ u cpnsid
Nearly every employees In the print
IinE s6Rjcs Saf1 lunch IN the 1cAfeteriS
BsforS ~ apsnSd thpe9E