Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-13
A Humanized Print Shop
By Frederic J. Haskin

Washington. Oct. 13.-Three O'Clock
IN the morning may suggest the end
OF festive evening to some people,
but II IL simply lunch time TO 200
workers In tho government printing
Office. At that dim hour. when most
of us would prefer dreaming about
pie to eating II. 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 n dry or
eoggy sandwich out Of a coat pocket,
eaten in a workroom. Or else Il meant
a trip along a dark street 20 an OPEN
all l-night restaurant. Lunch at 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.
When the a. m. lunch bell rings the
Congressional Record workers hurry
into the elevators that will carry them
10 the new cafeteria on the top floor
of the building. After eating a hot
meal served at cost price. they spend
the remainder of their free time loung-
ing in q rest room. or IN the big as
sembly hall playing a phonograph and
| perhaps dancing.
Cafeterias and recreation rooms IN
offices and plants are fairly common
nowadays. But the government print
| ing office claims some unusual features
along these lines. This government
bureau IS the first to organize eating
and recreational activities on a strict
ly cooperative and dself-sustaining bas-
is. with employees forming the board
Of directors and the various commit
bureau to run q cafeteria serving
meals on a "a hour a day schedule.
Until a year ago the biggest print
ing plant IN the world made no specia
effort to provide extras" for it's em.
ployees. It gave 4.20o people jobs, ant
provided them with up-to-date equip
ment, scientific lighting. and hos
pital. in case of accident. II they
wanted TO play or 10 buy cooker
lunch they went outside the building
Then George II. Carter, public print
er OF the Uuited States, became par
ticularly interested in the lunch prob
lem. Cafes in the neighborhood of tn,
printing ofiice were high-priced o
dingy. About 1000 people, Mr.. Carte
reflected. were eating around hin
every day In the most ,mprompt,
fashion. He doubted IL stale sand
wiches and tepid milk could be YER
efficient and cheering stimulants 70
the after-lunch work period.
Every inch Of serviceable space s.
the huge building was used for ma
chinery and workers. But Mr.. Carte
studied the pointed roof and the use
less attic under 1t. He decided tha
the roof could be raised at the sides {
form complete eighth story. He call
ed his employees together and talke
It over, and the result was that IN
bureau decided to go into the cafeteri
business on large and efficient seal,
The government would pay for altera
tons in the building and for equir
ment, and the employees assoclatio
would undertake to finance and dire,
the business.
Employees Save Money.
A fund of $4,000 was raised by col
tributions of one or two dollars fro
every member of the new association
and with this capital the cafeter
started doing business January 2
Today Mr.. Carter estimates that S5(
900 meals have been served and 4
CAFETERIA is saving the employees
the office 100000 year.
Prices of the food served are sa
~ h.1 fro.
than those in restaurants In the ,
3. clnity OF the bureau. The printi
\. once sells soup to itself at cents
a. bowl. Salad is 10 cents; sandwich
I. are .; a pint Of milk, 6; pie and cal