Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-01-12
URGENT NEED SEEN
FOR NEW BUILDING
Fire Hazard at Government
! Printing Office Stressed
/ in Annual Report.

urgent need" for a new building
for the Government Printing ONCE
is stressed by Public Printer George
n. Carter. in his annual report &c
Congress published today.
Fire hazard Is deemed by Mr.. Carter
as a menace" to the plant, to the
immense stores of paper and ma
terials costing more than 100000
and the invaluable stock of publica-
tons for which the building occu-
pied by the superintendent of docu-
ments is utterly Inadequate.
The need of replacing the old
building with A suitable fireproof
structure" said Mr.. Carter. mot only
for the protection of the entire plant
but also to provide adequate space
for the efficient operation of the
printing Office and the office of the
superintendent of documents, is SO
urgent that 1t ought to receive the
Immediate attention of Congress"
Serious Situation Cited.
The public printer has called at
tention to this serious situation in
his annual reports for 1922 and 1928,
and again urges that Congress no
longer delay in safeguarding this es-
Enlistment which is so esse ntial to
the work OF Congress itself"
Mr.. Carter explained that a pre-
limfnary step toward replacing the
old building had been taken when he
asked and obtained authority from
Congress at the last session to close
the public alleyway between the
main and old buildings.
with this additional space" said
the report, there is no need to pur-
chase additional land for the cree
ton of any new buildings for the
Government Printing ONCE. The
alleyway and the ground now occu-
pied by the old buildings ought to
afford sufficient space for the re-
quirements of this office for many
years to come, unless it shall be
deemed advisable to construct a
warehouse near trackage, which now
Is unfortunately at a considerable
distance from the office"
Cost of Operation Less. -.
The cost of operating the Govern
ment Srinting Office during the last
four years has been s2,873,6S3 less
than was expended during the pre-
ceding four years, Mr.. Carter said
while in the period 1921-1924, unex'
pended balances amounting to S.-
650.21s were returned to the Treasury
In addition, he reported receipts
amounting to sl,0s3,s67 from sale OF
waste paper and useless equipment
Despite the larger volume of work
done and the longer shifts during
the years 1870, says the report
average production per employe was
higher during 1921-1s24.
Efforts to reduce expenditures are
being made in all sections or the
office, with the result that economies
tatalling $1S4,000 are effected annual
~, 1t adds, while $61,32s was saved
. during the last year through the re-
melting of old plates.
Governmental printing requir ements
last year were heavier than ever be-
fore, it is asserted, Congress espe-
ciaIly breaking all records for the
volume OF annual oratory," with in
vestigations also adding greatly to
the work.
Cost of Daugherty investigation.
The Daugherty investigation record
covered 3,41s pages, and the thousand
copies ordered cost the Government
S12,605. The Teapot Dome investt-
CATION took up 1878 pages and the
100 copies printed cost $14,lS1
Other committee hearings were print
ed at an expense of $226,530.
The Post ONCE Department and the
War Department loaded the Office
Win UNUSUAL VI w VI n AaA SO .
the year, the report continues. Be-
sides requiring about 1,253,00o, 600
postal cards, the Post Office Depart
ment ordered approximately 6s3,o0e,-
600 sundry forms and blanks. The
War Department requires within 80
days 40,24O,o 900 blanks for the oper-
alton of the veterans bonus act. The
Departments of Agriculture and Com
merce, the Treasury and Civil Service
Commission also ordered millions of
forms, posters and other publications.
Discontinuance of the practice of
free distribution of Government pub
locations, except the Congressional
Record and the Directory, is recon-
mended in the report, 1t being pointed
out that during the last four years
S1,461,326 was received from the sale
of some of these publications. Mr..
Carter estimates that 25,00o,000 cop
les of publications have been wasted
by free distribution during the last
10 years at an annual loss of about
100000.