Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-01-11

OHJSSNN0 NiA1k LllGGS duu
certain other terms should be n
word. The Department pointed u
that to write mealybug in two words
Indicates that the insect is a bug and
that mealy describes it, while in real
ity a mealybug is not strictly speak
ing a bug. Similarly, a fruitworm
is not a worm. After extensive cor.
respondence, the printing board sur
rendered to this argument.
When the manual was compiled it
represented a final Government STAN
dard for punctuation, compound
words, spelling rules, capitalization,
grammar, authorizations, and print
ing style. The book was approved
by the President, the budget direc-
tor, the congressional Joint Commit
tee on Printing. and by the per-
manent conference on printing com
posed Of officials in the Government
departments who are in charge of
publications.
Adopted as n Textbook
While the style book is an official
standard for the Government only,
it is also being used to n consider
able extent by other agencies. 1t has
been adopted as a textbook in some
schools and colleges, and its rules
are being followed by a number of
printing offices and publishing
houses.
Mr.. Carter explains that the man
ual is not an autocratic attempt to
decide emphatically what IS right
and wrong in English style. Lang
uage and custom change TOO stead
lily for that to be practical. What
the board of revision did was to
study good usage and opinions of au-
thorities and to decide what prac-
tees would be best for the Govern
ment to adopt to avoid confusion.
Though the rules in the style
book are official. so far as the Gov
eminent is concerned, they are not
Interchangeable, and the Printing Of
flee has evolved an effective method
of keeping its manual u~p-to-date.
Officials who s the book IN their
work have special copies made with
blank ruled pages after every print
ed page. If a new public issue brings
up a new word and there is a dis
pute over capitalization the board
decides what the Governments
policy will be, and the decision is
written into the office style books.
S4LNAA510 III 1 l. GE Sb4So OS(d21OllS
ally requested on the grounds that
usage is making a different form
more desirable. All questions Of this
sort are taken to the board of revis-
ion and a decision is rendered.
Because of this progressive eevis-
| ion, and because the manual was so
carefully compiled in the first place.
Mr. Carter believes that very little
work will be necessary when a new
edition is to be printed.
A few well defined exceptions to
the general rules ire provided for by
the style book. For instance, by
special arrangement a scientific or
technical piece of copy may be
marked "fol. lit" meaning follow
| literally. and no attempt is made to
revise its style. This courtesy is al
so generally accorded copy of q
President of the United States
There is q story along this line
connected with the printing OF Presi-
dent Wilson's first message to Con-
gress. Mr.. Wilson always conform
ed to English rules of spelling, using
such forms as honour, labour, trav-
eller. He also puuctuated carefully
according to orthodox academic
usage. A comma before a dash, to
take one example WAS OuCe tnSihtSu
upon, and is still considered prefer
able by some academicians, though
the comma is more often eliminated
now.
Mr.. Wilson's message arne to the
Printing Office and the employees
set to work to fit it into the Govern.
ment style. The proof went bach
f0r the Presidents okeh, but it re
turned promptly with tbs origina
spelling and punctuation restored
and a penciled note explaining thai
MI. Wilson would like his copy fol
lowed. Needless to say the Presi'
dents wishes were acceded to.
Mr.. Harding uses the Government
style. Having been a printer him
self. he follows the style SO closet.
that almost no changes are made il
his copy.