Evening star., 1925-11-05
ARTICLE III.

BY the introduction of more than
100 individual economies the Federal
Government has reduced the cost OF
operating its mammoth printing plant
at Washington by nearly two-thirds-
"a per cent to be exact-within five
years. Budget Bureau figures, com
piled to show actual savings In minor
establishments during this period, dis
close a drop from $8.316,00 for the
fiscal year 1921 to an estimated 81,
$4,000 during the present fiscal year
which began July l last.
Here Coolidge economy has wrought
with vengeance. But for the cease
less flow of oratory in House and Sen
ate. reported by expert stenographers
and rushed at high speed into type
and thence daily in the form of the
Congressional Record to an eager and
waiting public, the showing would be
much greater. AS matter of fact
the estimated cost of operation during
the present fiscal year Is about $438,
600 more than the actual cost during
the past fiscal year.
This is explained by the fact that
during the past fiscal year there was
but a short session of Congress, ex
piring March 4, whereas during the
present fiscal year the country faces
the prospect of unlimited oratory and
debate, running in all likelihood far
past March 4, under the dome of the
Capitol.
X
The Government Printing Office is
the largest print shop in the world. 1t
works at high speed day and night
during the better part of the year
Here come not only the words of wis
dom from House and Senate, but
countless publications of every char,
acter from the army of Sages EN-.
ployed by the executive departments
Thousands Of tons of Government bull
letins are shot through it's presses an.
nually. Authors If these more or less
valuable publications are numbered by
the thousand
Weekly and monthly periodicals
supplied by the Government on almost
every subject under the sun, from
ponderous statistical reviews to the
lightest of frothy reading matter
number close to 100. These and count
less other publications, including
wordy reports made annually by the
heads of departments and independent
offices, are all turned out by the Gov
ernment printing Office.
Until the past few years there was
little check. If any, upon this polyglot
output. Governments paid authors
rushed into print on every conceivable
subject, and in literally thousands OF
cases wholly or partially revised their
writings in proof. The demand for
this weighty matter seldom equaled
the supply. taking the writings as a
whole. AS a result, acres Of shelves
in the Government Printing Office
were loaded down with printed bulle
inc n} nhcnlata tnI Tr
addition. tons Of metal were kept
waiting, in some cases for years, in
racks, available for reprints If desired
Within the past fiscal year the pub
lie printer, alarmed at the growing
increase OF dead matter on his shelves
took inventory Of old publications. un
wanted by the public. He has advised
the Bureau OF the Budget that as a
result Of this step he has been able to
rid his shelves Of 1874 $50 printed
publications during the year.
"Of this number" reads his report
81 .226, 093 were one page pamphlets
Of the Department Of Agriculture
which were disposed Of as waste
paper. with the approval of that de
partment."
Evidently somebody In the past had
b,undered. One and a quarter mil
lions Of pamphlets, written at the
taxpayers expense. printed at his
cost on paper purchased with his
money, by aid of employees whose sal
aries were paid by him, sold as waste
paper, One cannot estimate the loss
Even so, that was the story only for
the fiscal year 1925. During the pre-
ceding fiscal year, the public printer as
serts. more than 100000 worthless
publications were disposed Of to pro
vide room for new publications" The
report continues:
The greatest space Un 1920 was
made available by the action of the
Department Of Commerce in releas-