Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-10

The United States Government is
taking q hand in producing what
promises to constitute a fresh cycle in
the ancient art of type designing. This
time the action Is not for the purpose
OF producing new and unusual type
faces but to weed out some Of those
in general use in American printing
establishments. This move is being
made IN connection with the work on
simplification and Standardization with
which the Department of Commerce
has been busy for the past few years.
Since the earliest days of type
indeed before movable type was in
vented in the Occident-men have
shown the most anxious concern over
the designs of type faces. 1t appears
that there always has been desire
to make the very letters by which words
are made and thoughts expressed ex-
hibit as much beauty as the ingenuity
and artistic genius Of innovators could
produce.
Inevitably this has resulted in the
modern world which whirs to the
sound OF never-ceasing printing presses.
having an embarrassing accumulation
OF type faces from which to choose.
In this situation the Department of
Commerce and leaders in the printing
trades seem to feel that the time has
come to simplify matters. This does
not mean that the Government Is set
ting out arbitrarily to dictate to print
ers what types they are to use. In
the first place it has no authority to
pursue such a course. In all of its
simplif1cation procedure it merely has
acted as sort of clearing house to
bring manufacturers together for the
purpose of arriving at a program under
Government
ment is the fusing agent. In most
businesses 1t is difficult to achieve COM
plete cooperation among competitors.
The underlying reason for simpliflca-
ton is to prevent undue waste and
duplication. In this matter of type,
for example. With so many faces of
type 1t is necessary for type founders
to keep a large amount of metal tied
UP in the form of finished type SO that
they may have a wide variety on hand
at all times to meet the calls of printers
Some little-used design of type might
not be called for in years, yet q type
founder would feel it necessary to have
1T on hand lest his prospective GUS
toner, failing to get q supply on short
| notice, depart with his business to a
competing founder.
Concerted Action Vital.
That is the general theory of all the
simplification work Sizes of all man.
ner of objects In commercial use have
been cut down with tremendous saving
to all concerned. However, it Is i'm
| perative to get complete agreement
among the members of any industry
seeking simplification. If only a few
go into a scheme, their competitors will
attract some of their business. All
must agree that they will definitely
abandon stocking certain designs and
sizes whether it be of bricks or print
| ing type.
This Is the first time simplification
has verged so strongly on an artistic
! field These styles and sizes of tools.
| office equipment. of tin cans, of all
| manner of commercial articles have
been simplified. This effort is different;
| 1t enters q new field. Yet as the print
| ing industry is one of the biggest in
the country and has purely mechanical
aspects following on the artistic work.
| it has been thought well to look into
the matter. The advantage is wholly