The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-21
PRINTING OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT IN WARTIME JOB

Washington (UpD-The eB0.Ooo,. 000 annual business of the Govern ment Printing office Is one of the least publicized but still important among war activities.
 Out where the fighting goes on. small military units can produce their own little printing jobs prac. tically on the field of battle. With. In an hour after the Marines land- cd at Tarawa, a hand-operated press went ashore.
 Such small-scale operations are backed up by the POS 203 great power presses, which are constantly running of instruction manuals. equipment catalogues. and scores Of other indispensibles to be whisk. ed by air transport to the far cor- ners of the world. The eiB.OO0. 900 plant stands on the site of the first public printing office. purchased by Congress for si3s GOO in 1881. Al tunnel runs under the street to its huge warehouse. where i6 freight cars can be run Into the top floor from the adjacent railroad yard.
 Secret Work Scr Services
 The 220 linotype and monotype operators. 303 proofreaders and 55s compositors work in shifts over a 2s-hour day. Army instruction booklets on every subject from the use of dehydrated foods to how Co get along with Zulu Islanders get out in record time. Some of these are highly confidential. CT Joe's few halting phrases in the launguage Of a newly-invaded coun- try are picked up from studies pre- viously supplied by the GPO. Les- sons on how to operate new wea" pons have to be prepared with ute most secrecy. These jobs aren't plain sailing. either. A recently pub- lislaed Army catalogue contained 100000 separate items.
 At the start of the emergency period about five years ago, the 0POs annual production totaled 20!000O00 yearly. Now, to take care of a four-fold increase. pri- vate printers do about two-thirds of the work. The GPO and It's con tractor use 120 tons Of paper e day.
 Any printer may place his name on the 0PO list. Contracts are negotiated at i've field warehouses in Chicago. New York. Dallas. At. ianta and San Francisco. Said A. E. Giegengaek. Public Printer, in an address to Chicago printers:
 Prevents DlsIocasieB
 "It is my hope that after the war is won. return fo normal con- ditions in the graphic arts industry will be easier because of this policy Instead of having greatly expand- ed facilities in Washington. and in consequence. a badly disiocated supply of labor. commercial prin- sers can take up where they left of in i9sl."
 gebs fer Egenae Front
 Most peacetinae jobs have long since ceased t0 pass through the GPO composing room. However. the normally prosaic task of printing ineome-tax blanks took on new urgency this year, because a change was made ia the law only three weeks before instruction sheets and forms had to be in the hands of 50 GOO 900 persons.
 The GP0 has supported the home front by printing more than 5000.- GOO 900 ration stamps. using i2000.- 900 pounds of paper for Book HO I. which was sent to 5000 distribution points. The paper was made in its own laboratories. The staH likewise developed V-Mail paper and letter paper used by Axis prisoners of var. which has only to be dipped in water to reveal any hidden writing.
 I've Daily Agusfs'
 One peaeetiDle performance that continues full tilt is overnight pub- lleation Of 16.000 copies of the Con- gressi0nal Record, which averages inc size Of an ordinary book, and the daily publication of 2600o cops les of the Federal Register, Between c ?. m, and 6 a, tl, the C0ngFesssons al debates and appendix material gre set in type. pr0ofread. printed and placed on the breakfast table Of every Congressman.
 4 total of 2i0 federal 0Fgaalzav tons order printing from the 0P0, just as they would from a private printer. They pay for the work out Of funds received from Congress for | the purpose. 4 part Of the goyerns lnenf'S legislative branch, the GP0 | has . ''boaTd Of directors" consist Ing Of the joint Congressional com, | mlttee on printing, 0f which Renas tor Carl Hayden, D. Arlzy is ehalFs |