Evening star., 1925-11-06
ARTICLE Nv.

Savings totaling $5o6 ,3S9 were effect
ed during the fiscal year 1925 by Bud
get Bureau workers assigned to nine
geographical areas of the United
States for the purpose OF co-ordinating
the various activities Of the Federal
Government. The figure quoted above
Is taken from memorandum pre-
pared for the Bureau Of the Budget
by Gen. H. C. Smither, chief co-ordi.
nator, who has had list run up of
more than 900 individual economies
effected by the area workers.
A spirit Of competition prevails
among the areas, just as Gen.
Smither and his assistants had reck-
oned on. The effort of workers in
area No. !, for instance, to make a
better showing than the workers in
area No. 2 has led to the practice of
intensive economy in carrying on the
Governments business along lines
hitherto T.. uncultivated. The area
workers have no authority over the
disbursement Of funds; but they circu.
late among all branches of the Federal
Government in their districts, are IA
miliar with every phase of Govern.
ment work. actual or projected. and
are thus enabled to make suggestions
which could not be made in the alb
sence Of such familiarity.
X II
These area workers might be called
Uncle Sans travelling statesmen. 1t
is their duty to sell" business in Gov
ernment TO the Government workers
in the field. Chief among their duties
is to instill enthusiasm for the Cool
idge economy campaign.
The following instances of saving
effected by these workers are lifted
from Gen. Smithers memora ndum:
Arrangements were made to secure
the vacating of 1850 square feet of
floor space at the Army base. Boston
This base was being used by the prohi-
bition director for the storage of con-
fiscated motor vehicles and stills. It
was assigned to the Post Office De-
partment for the storage of empty
mailbags, resulting in a saving of ap-
proximately 100000 annually for
rental
I'm preparation for handling the
1924 Christmas mail all large post
offices in New England were requested
to state the number and kind of mot or
vehicles needed and all Federal activ-
tiles were requested to give informa-
ton as TO the number they could loan
More trucks were thus made availa BILE
for the use Of the Post Office Depart
ment than could be advantageously
used. OF 1876 motor vehicles available,
II assignments We're made, resulting
in a saving OF sS,1S5 which otherwise
would have been paid out for truck
hire
By establishing a clearing house in
New York City for the carriage and
hauling Of all Federal shipments re-
ceived in the office, regardless of the
branch OF the service to which con-
signed. the area workers there report
a saving Of approximately $1,000 a
month.
The custom house at New York
was glutted with an accumulation of
ancient files. Area workers of the
Budget Bureau induced the proper au-
thorities to destroy old files no longer
needed. thereby releasing office space
urgently needed to the extent of ap-
proximately $1,000 a year.
Alcohol seized by prohibition work
ers in New York, formerly destroyed
in large quantity by order of the
courts. is now being thoroughly de-
natured and supplied without cost to
meet the large legitimate industrial de-
mand Of the Army, Navy. Coast
Guard, Post Office Department and
other Government agencies centering
at New York. This practice makes
unnecessary the purchase Of dena-
tured alcohol hitherto bought in large
quantities, at a saving of 80 cents on
every gallon thus distributed
At Philadelphia area workers sue
ceeded in saving nearly cents a
gallon on all gasoline used by the
post office by pooling the orders of
that branch of the service with other
large Federal orders given in the city.
AS the post Office at Philadelphia used