Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-13
The HdSkin Letter 9 ' + assz
A HUMANIZED PRINT SHOP

Washington, d. c., Oct. 10.-Three
o'clock in the morning may suggest the
end of a festive evening to some peo-
pie, but it 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 who get the
Congressional Record ready for the
early morning mail stop folding, and
addressing operations to eat lunch.
A year & lunch meant a dry or
soggy sandwich out of a coat pocket.
eaten in the workroom. Or else it
meant a trip along a dark street to an
open-all-night restaurant. Lunch at
8 a. m. was a gloomy diversion at best
in those days.
But now the big Government Print
ing office has gone in for h~umanized
efficiency. The G. P. O. Cafeteria &
Recreation association is functioning.
When the 3 a. m. lunch bell rings, the
Congressional Record workers hurry
into the elevators that will carry them
to 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 ~lounging
In a rest room, or in the big assembly
hall playing a photograph 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 90 a strict
ly cooperative and self-sustaining
basis, with employees forming the board
or directors and the various commit
tees. 1t is also the only government
bureau TO run a cafeteria serving meals
on a "a hour a day schedule.
Until a year ago the biggest printing
plant in the world made no special
effort to provide extras" for its en-
picyes. 1t gave 1920 people jobs, and
provided them with up-to-date equip
ment, scientific lighting, and a hos
pital, in case of accident. If they
wanted to play or to buy a cooked
lunch they went outside the building.
Then George H. Carter, public
printer Of the United States, became
particularly interested in the lunch
the printing office were high priced
or dingy. Some 1000 people, Mr..
Carter reflected, were eating around
him every day in the most impromptu
fashion. He doubted if stale sand
wiches and tepid milk conld he very
| efficient and cheering stimulants for
the after-lunch work period.
Every inch of serviceable space in
| tie huge building was used for ma
chinery and workers. But Mr.. Carter
studied the pointed roof and the use
less attic under it. He decided that
The roof could lie raised at the sides
to form q complete eighth story. He
called his employees together and
] 4oJI-oI - oror orI Tho rnc,,Jt xror ghot
| Tie bureau decided to go into the cafe
terra business on a large al, efficient
scale. The government would pay fer
| alterations in the building and for
equipment, and the employees asSoci-
! alton would undertake to finance and
direct the business.
Employees Save Money
A fund of $4,000 was raised by con-
tributions of one or two dollars from
every member of the new association,
and with this capital the cafeteria
started doing business January %. To-
day Mr.. Carter estimates that $780,
900 meals have been served and the
cafeteria is saving the employees of the
office $500, 600 a year.
Prices of the food served are said
to be from % to 80 per cent cheaper
than those in restaurants in the vicin-
ity of the bureau. The printing office
| sells soup to itsef at 6 cents a bowl.
Salad is 10 cents; sandwiches are 5;
a pint Of milk, 6; pie and cake, 8, and
vegetables are 5 and 8 cents. Even
with these low prices the association
reports that it has replaced the $4,000
with which it started and that it has
made 81. 900 profit in addition.
The 24-hour day on which the cafe
terra is obliged to operate, runs
smoothly. The employe who comes on
duty for night work can get ate 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 a more usual order. Sew
eral hundred of the employees do take
advantage of this opportunity to eat all
of their meals at the office, and thus
to save considerable money.
Neary every employe in the printing
office eats lunch in the cafeteria. Be
fore it was opened those who brought
lunch ate at the presses and machines,
where they were working. The caf-
terra association decided, however, that
every worker should have a change Of
environment during the lunch period.
Accordingly, tables were provided in the
cafeteria for persons bringing lunches
IIOIn uOlut. IOI IntSc tliDtbN tS lOO
there is a short order counter where
they can quickly buy a cup of coffee or
a piece of cake to supplement their
lunches.
The entire eighth floor of the big
red printing office belong to the en-
| ployes. There are rest rooms, shower
baths, a well equipped bowling alley,
and a large assembly hall with a stage
at one end. The employees bought a
S1,400 grand piano for this hall. But
their sense of fitness did not allow
them to use SO dignified an instrument
for lunch time dancing. SO a sturdy
upright piano that could be hammered
without fear of injury was added to
the furnishings of Harding Hall"
The Musical Scrub Lady
A piano players stands in one corner
of this room, too. BY dropping a nickel
in the slot dance music or a classical
concert can be enjoyed when there is
no musician on hand to perform.
This player piano is extremely pop
ular, Mr.. Carter says. Late the other
tons that remain to be discussed
at the conference is how soon these