Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-19
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL r. KENNEDY.

An inspiring example for the Gov
eminent employee Is Representative Ad-
olson T. Smith of Idaho, who has for
many years been their champion, even
when, with a wife and child to sup
port, he resigned from the service In
protest because an outsider was brought
into his division for a $1,000 job, thus
thwarting six expected promotions
within the division. He Is now
member of the House civil service com,
mittee and can always be depended
upon to support legislation for the
benefit of the Federal employees.
By strange coincidence Represents
tive Smith. who is now serving his sew
enteenth consecutive year In Congress,
when visiting an Office of the Budget
bureau recently conferred there with
the man who was appointed to the
81 500 position causing Mr.. smith 10
resign in disgust from the Federal serv-
ice because he saw no chance OF pro-
motion ahead. While in the employ
ment of the Government Mr.. Smith
completed his law course at the Ma
tional Law School in Washington. He
comes of fighting stock; his father and
eldest brother served in the Civil War
and his own two sons served in the
World War.
One Of the greatest satisfactions in
Congressman'S life Is to be able to
help some deserving young man to adj
vance himself in life. Daily each mem
Der of Congress has this satisfaction.
For example, Representative Allen T.
Treadway, dean of the Massachusetts,
delegation, has just received letter
of appreciation from Fort Hamilton,
N. Y. It is from young man, Charles
L. Murray, staff sergeant in the Ord
nance Department, who was recruit
ing sergeant in Pittsheld, and who APP
pealed to Mr.. Treadway, seeking as
sistance to enter the ordnance school
at Raritan Arsenal, N. j. He entered
that school on January II, 1929, ana
graduated with honor. There were 81
service men in his class from all parts
of the United States when he took
his final examination, on April Is, to
obtain the grade of STAFF sergeant. Out
of this entire number he won sixth
MIR. Treadway this young man says,
IT want to take this opportunity to
thank you for all you have done In
the past for me. and feel satisfied If
I had not received your assistance 1
still would be just recruiting ser
qeant in Pittsfield." Representative
Treadway says that 1t is such letters
as this that make his job in Congress
most worthwhile.
Recently Representative Underhill OF
Massachusetts, called attention In the
House to very large economies that
could be made in the cost OF printing
the Congressional Record containing the
proceedings of the House, including the
iEil ~
printing in an appendix speeches not
actually delivered on the floor. The
high cost of congressional oratory was
again emphasized in the annual report
of the public printer, who points out
that the Government does not bear the
expense of reprinting members speeches
for personal distribution, and that such
pamphlets now generally bear the state
ment mot Printed at Government Elk
penSe."
Members of Congress paid $50, 490.67
out of their personal funds for reprint
ing 1926 50 copies of speeches and
extracts from the Congressional Record.
Franked envelopes for the free mail
ing Of congressional speeches and Gov
eminent publications are furnished
without charge to Senators and House
members. The cost, including printing
of the 22,2S0,925 RANKED envelopes so
supplied in the last fiscal year, was
$54,95096. The cost of 27,466,9
the year before was $66 ,S13.17. So that
while the members of Congress pay from
their own pocket for the reprinting OF
their speeches, as a matter of fact they
are able to distribute them wholesale
throughout their districts at even less
than one-haf the price that any individ-
ual citizen would have to pay for the
same job.
Congress is the largest customer at
Uncle Sans big printing establishment,
which Is the largest printing shop in the
world. The total charge against Con-
greSs last year was $2,487, 1858, which
was an increase of $26,820.80 over the
cost Of congressional work the year be-
fore. Among the important items in
cluded were 4,4o8, 694 copies of con-
gressional publications, 7,171,01 copies
of various bills and resolutions, 4,154,-
804 copies of the daily Congressional
Record. and 82,140 volumes of the Per-
manent Record. The charge on the
Congressional Record alone last year
was $3.50, 28931.
During the SEVENTEEN Congress. "a
for the Senate and House, which were
only few less than the cord-breaking
total for the Sixty-ninth Congress.
Nine omnibus pension bills enacted by
the SEVENTEEN Congress were a con-
solidation of 1920 private bills, and
constituted the largest number of pen
sion bills ever enacted by any Congress.
One Of these omnibus pension bills was
the largest ever printed, making 500
pages. The House report accompanying
this bill was also q record-breaker with
962 pages.
The Post ONCE Department is second
only to Congress as the largest Gus
toner at the Government Printing
once. Its bills last year amounted to
$2.1l306l .95, which was an increase Of
$8l ,46624 over the preceding year.
The largest part of the work done
Tor the Post once Department by the
Government Printing once is in the
production Of post cards. Three big
presses are kept running hours and
sometimes Is hours daily throughout
the year. Each press. with 80 plates,
is capable of printing, cutting and
counting in packs Of IS or so at the
rate OF $500 cards per minute, or 3e4,-
600 per hour.
The United States Patent once ranks
third in the amount Of printing ordered
annually at the Government Printing
ONCE. In fact last year. the expendi-
ture OF LOAF ,902 IS for printing patent
specifications and the Patent Gazette
was the largest sum spent by any one
bureau or Office. These charges were
$70.693.44 more than for the preceding
year.
Copy for patent specifications pre-
SentS the most difficult task in Gov
eminent printing, which George H. Car
ter, the public printer. says is due to
lack of proper preparation by the
Patent ONCE for the usual method Of
typesetting and proofreading."
The Government Printing once also
is good purchaser Of its own products