Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-10-13
u. S. PRINTERS
HAVE OWN REST
ROOM AND CAFE
ny FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.


gest the end of q festive evening
to some people, but 1t is simply
lunch time to 200 workers in the
government printing office. AT
that dim hour, when most of us
would prefer dreaming 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 funcIl meant a dry
or soggy sandwich out of a coat
pocket, eaten in the work room.
or else it meant trip along a
dark street to an n-all-night
restaurant. Lunch at a. m. was
a gloomy diversion at best in those
days.
But now the big government
printing office has gone in for hui
manized efficiency. The G. p. ..
Cafeteria and Recreation associa-
ton is functioning. When the 3
a. m. lunch bell rings the Con-
gressional Record workers hurry
into the elevators that will carry
them to the new cafeteria on the
ton floor of the building. After
eating a hot meal served at cost
price, they spend the remainder OF
their free time lounging in resi-
room, or in the big assembly hatl
playing a photograph and per-
haps dancing.
Cafeterias and recreation rooms
in offices and plants are fairly
common nowadays. But the GOV
eminent Printing office claims
some unusuaY features along these
lines. This government bureau Is
the first to organize eating anu
recreational activities on a stflctiy
co-operatiYe and self-sustaining pa
sis, with employees forming the
board of directors and the various
committees. 1t is also the only gov
eminent bureau to run a cafeteria
serving meals on "a hour a day
schedule.
Tn to a year ago the biggest
printing plant in the world made
no special effort to provide "ex-
tras" for it's employees. 1t gave
1900 people jobs, and provided
them with up-to-date equipment,
scientific lighting, and a hospital,
i'm case Of accident. If they want
ed to play or buy a cooked lunch
they went outside the building.
Then George II. Carter, pubic
printer of the United States, be-
came particularly interested in the
lunch problem. Cafeterias in the
neighborhood of the printing OF
flee were high priced or dingy.
Some 1000 people, Mr.. Carter re-
! Elected. were eating around him
every day in the most impromptu
fashion. He doubted il stale
sandwiches and tepid milk could
be very efficient and cheering slim
ulants for the after-lunch period.
Every inch of serviceable space
in the huge building was used lor
machinery and workers. but MT.
CARTER studied the pointed ROOF ana
the useless attic under 1T. lie de-
cided that the roof could be raised
at the sides to form q complete
eighth story. He called his en-
ployes together and talked 1t over,
and the result was that the hufeau
decided to go into the cafeteria
business on u large and efficient
scale. The government would pay
| for alterations in the building and
for equipment, and the employees
association would undertake to H.
nance and direct the business.
Employees Save Money.
A fund of $4,000 was raised by
contributions o. dhe or two dollars
from every member of the new as
ISOLATION, and with this capital the
cafeteria started doing business
January 23. Today Mr.. Carter es-
Inmates that 100000 meals have
been served and the cafeteria Is
saving the employees of the office
100000 year.
| Prices Of the food served are said
to be from 25 to so per cent cheap
err than those in restaurants in the
vicinity of the bureau. The print
ing office sells soup to itself at
cents bowl. Salad is 10 cents;
sandwiches are s.; a pint of milk,
6; pie and cake, 8; and vegetables
are and 8 cents. Even with
these low prices the association re-
ports that it has replaced the
$4,50 which 1t started and that
it has made $1,000 profit in addi-
ton.
The 24-hour day on which the
cafeteria is obliged to operate. runs
smoothly. The employee who
comes on duty for night shift can
get late supper before he starts his
shift, lunch in the early morning,
and breakfast before he leaves the
office; while the day worker can
get his three meals at the cafeteria
in more usual order. Several
| hundred of the employees do take
advantage of this opportunity to
| eat all of their meals at the office,
and thus to save considerable
4 money.
Nearly every employee in the
printing office eats lunch in the
cafeteria. Berore it was opened
those who brought lunch ate at
the presses and machines where
they were working. The Cafeteria
association decided, however. that
every worker should have change
or environment during the lunch