It will be seen from that above that unless the appropriation acts shall specifically authorize printing, binding, and blank-book work for the Army and the field service of the War Department to be done elsewhere than at the Government Printing Office, none of this work can be secured elsewhere than at the Government Printing Office except such as is both "urgent and necessary" to have done elsewhere.

It would be manifestly impracticable for the War Department to procure from the Government Printing Office all printing, binding, and blank books for its field service away from Washington, including the Army. If such a thing were practicable, it would of course be much easier for the department to have all its printing for the field service done there.

It is also extremely desirable that all confidential chart work be done under control of the Engineer Corps of the Army at one or other of their plants, and it makes for economy and good administration to have much other military and civil work of this nature, even when not confidential, done at these same plants, whichespecially that of the United States Lake Survey are well equipped for the purpose.

The Ordnance Department of the Army also maintains at some of its establishments small printing outfits for printing the various forms required in the conduct of the business at the particular establishment concerned, as, for example, work-order cards, route sheets, job cards, inspection cards, labels for containers of ammunition, etc., also the annual catalogues of supplies required at the various establishments during the ensuing fiscal year on which contracts are awarded. It would not be practicable to carry even a moderately large stock of any of these blank forms, not only because of lack of storage space, but also because most of them are subject to frequent change, depending upon the work in hand at a particular establishment at any one time, as, for example, labels for various classes and kinds of ammunition which it has been found most convenient to print as required. As before stated, the plants are small, and the work is not continuous nor of such character as to require the services of a highly skilled printer, but rather of a class which can be well done by a skilled workman. Under these circumstances it is considered that it would be neither economical nor practical to have this printing done at the Government Printing Office in Washington, with the incidental delay and additional cost of transportation.

It is therefore recommended that such work for the Army and the field service of the War Department be included in that already exempted by the terms of the bill from the requirement of being done at the Government Printing Office. This might be accomplished by inserting after the words "Indian Affairs," in line 24, page 123 of the bill, the following:

such work for the Army and the field service of the War Department as in the opinion of the Secretary of War the public interests require shall be done elsewhere, so as to make the first part of the section read as follows:

SEC. 78. On and after July first, nineteen hundred and fifteen, all printing, binding, and blank-book work for Congress, the Executive Office, the judiciary, and every executive department, independent office, and establishment of the Government shall be done at the Government Printing Office, except such work as shall be urgent

and necessary to have done elsewhere than in the District of Columbia for the exclusive use of any field service outside of said District, such work as can be done at the several Indian schools for the office of Indian Affairs, such work for the Army and the field service of the War Department as in the opinion of the Secretary of War the public interests require shall be done elsewhere, such maps and charts as are not included in any publication printed at the Government Printing Office, and such work as is otherwise provided for by this act; and no part of any appropriation out of the Treasury of the United States shall be used in payment for printing, binding, and blank-book work done elsewhere than at the Government Printing Office, except as herein provided unless the act making the appropriation shall specifically so authorize:

Very respectfully,

LINDLEY M. GARRISON,
Secretary of War.

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POST-OFFICE BUILDING AT SOUTHBRIDGE, MASS.

LETTER

FROM

THE ACTING SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,

TRANSMITTING

ESTIMATE OF DEFICIENCY APPROPRIATION FOR SITE AND COMMENCEMENT OF POST-OFFICE BUILDING AT SOUTHBRIDGE,

MASS.

FEBRUARY 11, 1915.-Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be

printed.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,

Washington, February 10, 1915.

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith, for the consideration of Congress in connection with the general deficiency appropriation bill now pending, the following estimate:

Southbridge, Mass., post office

For site and commencement (site and building).

$18,000

The department, acting under authority contained in the public buildings act approved March 4, 1913, has issued an acceptance for the purchase of a site at Southbridge, Mass., in the amount above named. Funds will be needed shortly with which to make payment of the purchase price.

Respectfully,

B. R. NEWTON, Acting Secretary.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

О

Washington, D. C.