Evening star., 1922-08-24
HILL PUTS DISPUTE
IN HIS BUREAU Up
TO POWERS
Director Lays Charges of
Printers Before Solicitor
and Chairman Madden.
FINDS PRESENT RULES
ARE TOO COMPLICATED
Will Violate Some Law Whichever
Way He Turns, He Says+Snarl
Over Dismissals.


Charges by counsel for dismissed
union plate printers that Director
Hill of the bureau of engraving and
printing has violated the law in dis
missing such men. and that they
should be taken back, has preclpl-
tated a snarl of affairs at the gov
eruments big money printing plant
so complicated Director Hill has pre-
scented the whole affair not only to
the solicitor of the Treasury, but to
Chairman Madden of the House COM
rIittee on appropriations.
In the<present situation, according
to Director Hill. he will violate some
law whichever way he turns and
1t was said in some offcia! quarters
today that 1t may be necessary to
prepare new legislation to extricate
the bureau from it's predicament.
The trouble resulted from dismissal
of plate printers on August 8. when
Director Hill reduced the force of en-
ployes to come within his appropria-
year 1929 100000 under the pre-
vious year.
Cuts Forced, Says Hill.
When the fiscal year opened on
July 1, Director Hill said he at
tempted to run. the bureau without
reduction of force, to prevent hav-
1rg to dismiss a number of employees,
but when the first of August rolled
around he discovered that the bu-
reau had far exceeded it's appropria-
ton for the month of July. and con-
sequently something had to be done.
On August he effected reductions
in the personnel which cut $46O,000
off the expenses Of operation for the
Year.
Then came vigorous protest from
counsel for the dismissed plate
printers. The counsel set forth that
the dismissals were illegal and that
Director Hill had no right under the
laws of 1912 and 1919 to discharge
the men,
Disgruntled union plate printers
have been bitter in their denuncia-
tion of Director Hill, some going so
far as to say he has turned things
"entirefy upside down" at the bu-
reau. and predicting that as director
''he won't last long"
Rules Are Involved.
According to the act of 1912 the
faces of all notes and bonds shall be
printed by hand-roller presses.
tion, passed in 1919, the Secretary Of
the Treasury may stipulate as to
methods to be used in printing such
securities. allowing them to be done
by the speedier power presses, but
further providing that in no case shall
the force of plate printers be reduced
below the number then on the payroll.
Since the Secretary of the Treasury
has not as yet declared that for the
bureau of engraving and printing the
war emergency is over, the plant is
presumed still to be operating under
the emergency act of 1919. On this
contention, counsel for the dismissed
union plate printers claim. Director
Hill has violated the law In reducing
the number of plate printers.
Should the Secretary declare that
for the bureau the war emergency is
over, Director Hill said today, then
the plant would naturally have to
revert back to the act Of 1912 which
stipuIates that all faces of notes and
presses.
Hill Discusses Equipment.
Should this regulation be put into
effect, the director explained, the
great number of power presses which
were purchased for the war emergency
he more than necessary, and there
would not be enough hand presses.
With the development of machinery,
it was explained. the power presses
are so much superior to hand presses
that the former turn out from three
10 four times the amount of work
rs the latter with the same amount
put of the hand press. Director Hill
explained. is about 1000 sheets per
day. while the maximum output of q
power press is for backs, about 1000
sheets, and for faces, about 5000
Sheets per day.
Not only would the bureau have
10 revert to the more nearly obsolete
hand presses should it go back to the
law of 1912, but it would have to take
on larger number of plate printers.
Increasing the pay toll to a point be-
6ond the appropriation.
Director Is "Neutral.-
Director Hill feels he Is "between
the devil and the deep blue sea" on
the matter, and has referred the SUB
ject to Solicitor Mcmahon of the
treasury and Chairman Madden OF
the House committee on appropria-
lions, trying, at the same time, he de-
.clares. to remain neutral in the fight
between the union printers and the
government. Whichever way he
turns. at present, he said. under the
reduced appropriations. he violates
the law.
The Plate Printers Union is under
stood to be making a strong fight for
reinstatement of all the plate print
ers who were dismissed, who included
n total of about 100 men.
Solicitor Mcmahon of the Treasury
said this morning that he had just re.
ceiyed the papers in the bureau OF
engraving case. and would give the
matter his early attention. The mat.
GER was extremely complicated, he in
djcated. and would require time, aRt
thorough investigation into the Law
extending back to 1912. He could no,
nredict, Mr.. Mcmahon said. when q
decision could be rendered in tht