Evening star., 1922-12-07
SEEKS TO BLOCK -.
BUREAU SHAKE.UP
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BUREAU SHAkE-UP
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press plate printers with power
according to Representative Zihlman.
"On such information as have re-
! ceived about the art. am convinced
that the use of power presses will be
anything but in the interest Of good
service" Mr.. Zihlman said.
| Il will oppose this new legislation.
which has no place 1n an appropria-
tion bill. 1t lads to increasing un-
employment. The installation of
power presses at an increased cost is
not justified. II these presses should
! prove unsatisfactory, as I am assured
they will. it will be impossible for
the government again to secure the
force OF efficient employees that 1t now
has"
In discussing the proposed change
at the bureau Of engraving and print
ing Chairman Madden said.
| For nearly forty years the utiliza-
tion of the most improved type OF
machinery in the bureau of engraving
| and printing has been a disputed and
! contested question. The legislation
i on the subject for the most part has
| been restriction upon the most
AS early as 1856 there appeared a
Limitation on the appropriation to the
effect that no part of the sum should
be used for the purchase or operation
Of any new. improved plate printing
presses.
This was followed from time to
time by restrictive legislative pro-
visions. among them being prohibit
tions against the repair or recon-
s.ruction Of steam plate printing
against the increase in the number
of steam plate printing presses. Still
| later a law was enacted requiring
that all bonds. notes and checks
should be printed on hand roller
| presses.
| Permanent Lasv Enacted.
| In 1912 the permanent law now
affecting the bureau was enacted. 1t
provided in effect that the Secretary
of the Treasury might utilize power
presses for printing the backs Of
paper money and bonds and the
fronts and backs of checks. The law
also provided that in printing the
back of paper money four subject
plates should be used. 1t also pro-
years work on power presses not
more than one-f1fth of the hand
! presses should be displaced in one
year. 1t left the printing of the
! paper. of all paper money. on hand
| presses from four subject plates"
Authority In 1917 Law.
'In 1917. after the outbreak of the
| war. when it was seen that the war
work of the government could not be
turned out with the part modern and
part antiquated equipment. a law was
enacted. authorizing the Secretary of
the Treasury to utilize whatever
printing presses or processes he might
| in the service the same number of
! qualified plate printers as were en-
gagged in the work. This authority was
! for the period Of the war with Ger
many.
"In 1919 this authority was extended
| during the period of the emergency
| growing out of the war with Ger
| many. with the same stipulation that
| in the utilization of power. presses
and the adoption of any improved
style of printing the Secretary of the
! Treasury must be governed by the
the same number of permanent plate
printers.
I'VE are brought to the situation
where the bureau is unable to pro-
ceed any further with the installation
| of power presses. The emergency has
come to an end and they will be forced
| to operate under the provision Of the
act Of 1912, which is the permanent
law.
| "There are in the bureau of en-
craving and printing at the present
| time 242 power presses and 246 hand
presses. A power press will produce
from three to four times more work
in a day than hand press. A hand
press requires a plate printer and
! one assistant, and power press re-
fo<4 int a
"The labor cost of printing 1000
sheets from eight subject plates on
a power press is $7.95 for the faces
I! of the notes and $500 for the backs.
The same labor cost for 1000 sheets
press is $15.17. for the faces OF notes.
| This shows difference OF VIE in
| favor Of the power press and the
eight subject plates over the hand
/ press and the four SUBJECT plates.
No Difference I'm Work.
| "There is no difference in the quality
| of work performed. The counterfeiting
than of a hand press note. The sole
question involved is whether the gov
| ernment should retain the hand presses
! and give employment to larger num-
| ber of plate printers and tneir ASSIST
ants than would be anorded IN 'ne
] UllllZdliOH VI QV"0A Ss'~''
Installation Of 5S power presses
| will do away with the utilization
, OF 1876 hand presses. Two employees
| to each of 196 hand presses requires
892. Three employees to each OF 81
power presses requires ~; the dti-
! ference between 382 and 174 is re-
| duction of 21S persons under the
power press plan.
1.-The committee has recommended
the installation OF the So power
presses and the displacement OF the
i96 hand presses. In order that the
power presses may be fully utilized,
it also recommends authority to en-
able the Secretary Of the Treasury to
utilize printing plates containing more
than four subjects each.
At the present time under the tenn
porary law, only 40 power presses are
engaged in printing the backs OF the
United States currency from eight
subject plates and % power presses
are engaged in the printing Of the
face Of United States currency from
eight subject plates. All the re-
mainder Of the ITS power presses are
printing from four subject plates. not
withstandins the fact that 50 per cent
more work can be produced during the
day from an eight.Subject plate than
from q four-subject plate.
There 10 no difference OF quality
In the work produced from an eight