many papers in connection with them that it is obvious in the second going over of his mail, he must, to a certain extent, lose more or less time in recalling important points in the case, which, of course, necessitates a review of the papers. It is not unreasonable to state that by this method some 5 or 10 per cent of the dictator's time is lost, besides the time of the stenographer, who is compelled to sit idly by while such review work is being done.

By the use of the dictation machine, however, no time is lost in reading papers or files the second time. The machine being near the desk of the dictator, as each case is prepared in the first place the reply is dictated and disposed of. The result is a letter prepared fresh from the mind of the dictator, whereas by the stenographic method the letter is dictated considerable time after preparation and must necessarily suffer, both in direct application to the case as well as in diction.

The report of the superintendent of the division where the above test was had is contained in Exhibit 1 F.

In order to furnish a concise view of the comparative results of the two methods, the table given below shows the rate of output during five weeks by the stenographic method and the rate of output of each of the seven weeks during the period of the phonographic test, showing also in respect of the phonographic test the percentage of increase in rate of output of each week over the week next preceding. The figures disclose a steady increase in output by the phonographic method, although at the outset the rate was somewhat below that of the stenographers, thus showing beyond contradiction, so far as the work of that division was concerned, twice the amount of correspondence could be produced in the same length of time. Table showing average number of words per minute written by stenographic method and by phonographic method by the stenographic force of the Rural Free Delivery, Post Office Department, for five weeks, 1911.

Stenographer or phonograph

operator number.

average

for five First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh weeks. week. week. week. week. week. week.

week.

The head of this division has recommended the purchase of 14 dictation machines, finding as a result of the installation he can reduce his force immediately by six persons, at a saving in salaries of over $6,000 per annum.

Monetary saving possible.-If the dictation machine were used in all cases where possible in the executive departments in Washington, with a resulting reduction in cost of producing correspondence at a rate only half that attained in commercial concerns, the saving would be more than $500,000 a year.

The average cost of preparing a communication in the executive departments, as shown by the figures submitted by those departments in answer to the inquiry of the commission on the subject of handling correspondence, is 11.5 cents for communications of all kinds. This figure includes letters, printed forms, circulars, etc. We are dealing now, however, only with typewritten letters. It is obvious, therefore, that the cost of producing typewritten letters is very much more than 11.5 cents each, but for the purpose of this statement 11.5 cents a letter will be taken as the basis. In some of the largest railroad systems in the United States the average cost of producing a letter by the stenographic method was 5 cents. After the introduction of the voice-writing machine it was found that the cost of production was reduced over 50 per cent. Assuming that the introduction of the phonograph as a means of producing correspondence in the Government service will effect a saving of, not 50 per cent, as was the experience of several large railroads and industrial corporations, but 25 per cent only, we would have a saving of 2.875 cents for each letter. Applying this rate to the 18,600,000 letters written by stenographers in the executive departments at Washington, the saving per annum would amount to over $500,000.

MAILING MACHINERY.

In some departments a very large amount of circular matter is issued, a considerable part of which is folded, enveloped and addressed by hand. By the introduction of modern addressing and mailing machinery the clerical labor now spent on such work could be reduced to a great extent with economical results.

THE WINDOW ENVELOPE.

This envelope has a portion of the face transparent, so that by folding and inserting the letter or other inclosure in a certain way the name and mailing address as given on the inclosure are shown through the transparent portion.

This envelope accomplishes two main things: First, it insures absolute accuracy of address, since the address in the letter serves as the address of the envelope; second, it effects the elimination of the clerical operation of addressing envelopes.

The window envelope has been made the subject of a special report, which was submitted to the President December 4, 1911, and transmitted to Congress February 5, 1912 (S. Doc. No. 293.)

REARRANGEMENT OF FORM BLANKS.

One question which is receiving attention in connection with the handling of correspondence is whether the arrangement of forms which are partially printed or multigraphed and designed to be filled in by the typewriter can not be improved so that the information which is now entered in scattered places may be concentrated in one place. Such an arrangement of form blanks will save time for two reasons. The first and major reason is that the reviewing officer or employee can see at a glance, because the inserted information is compact, everything he desires to see without losing time reading any of the printed part of the form. The second and minor reason is that the stenographer can fill in a form very much more rapidly if the information is concentrated in one part than if he has to skip from place to place to insert each item.

ELIMINATION OF SALUTATION AND COMPLIMENTARY CLOSE.

The reports from the executive departments on the subject of handling and filing correspondence show that there are dictated to stenographers in the executive departments of the Government at Washington approximately 18,600,000 communications annually. It is believed to be a reasonable estimate that three-fourths of this number are "service" communications-that is to say, correspondence between Government offices and employees. The production of this enormous quantity of correspondence consumes a large part of the time of officers and employees, and any reduction in the bulk thereof or simplification or abbreviation of methods, no matter how slight, will effect a saving quite large in amount.

The elements of a letter, in the order in which they customarily appear, are as follows:

1. The title and location of the person or office from which the letter emanates.

2. The date.

3. The name, title, and location of the person addressed.

4. The salutation.

5. The body of the communication.

6. The complimentary close.

7. The signature.

8. The title of the person signing.

The essential elements of a letter are the date, the person from whom or office from which the letter emanates, the person to whom the letter is sent, the body of the communication, and the signature. The salutation and the complimentary close add nothing to the letter from the standpoint of transacting the business of the Government. These elements, serving no practical purpose, could be eliminated without detriment to the public business and at a considerable saving of time and expense.

The other elements in a letter, being essential, can not be eliminated, but they can be much abbreviated. For instance, the title of the person from whom the communication emanates is usually stated twice, namely, on the letterhead and below the signature. Stating this information once serves the practical purpose of the

letter. Furthermore, the title of the official to whom the letter is sent, frequently long and usually spelled out in full, could be abbreviated and time as well as space be saved. This idea is best explained by setting forth a hypothetical case, comparing the present procedure with that proposed. Say, for example, the Postmaster General desired to instruct the Third Assistant Postmaster General to have prepared for his consideration a statement showing the total weight of second-class matter at first-class post offices in the United States during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911. Under the present practice a letter in the following form would be written:

Hon. JAMES J. BRITT,

Third Assistant Postmaster General.

OCTOBER 9, 1911.

SIR: Please have prepared for my consideration a statement showing the total weight of second-class matter mailed at United States post offices of the first class during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911.

Very respectfully,

F. H. HITCHCOCK,

Postmaster General.

Eliminating the salutation and the complimentary close, and writing the title only of the person addressed, the letter would read as follows:

THIRD ASSISTANT POSTMASTERr General:

OCTOBER 9, 1911.

Please have prepared for my consideration a statement showing the total weight of second-class matter mailed at United States post offices of the first class during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911.

HITCHCOCK.

The third method, representing the extreme of abbreviation and simplicity, but omitting nothing which would serve a practical purpose, would be as follows:

THIRD ASST.:

OCTOBER 9, 1911.

Please have prepared for my consideration a statement showing the total weight of second-class matter mailed at United States post offices of the first class during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911.

HITCHCOCK.

Every practical purpose of the direction of the Postmaster General to his Third Assistant is subserved by condensing the communication in the manner set forth in the third example. By the third method the equivalent of 13 words is saved over the first method.

That this proposition is not merely theoretical is seen by the fact that several foreign Governments in some of their large departments have actually eliminated from their correspondence the salutation and complimentary close as well as abbreviated the titles of their public officers. In the United States some large corporations are doing the same thing One of the greatest railroad companies in America is simplifying its correspondence to the extent of eliminating the salutation and complimentary close as well as using the initials of the individual from whom the letter emanates and to whom it is addressed in correspondence within certain divisions of its service. This is being done as an experiment and is meeting with such success that its use now bids fair to be extended all over the system.

In the German Navy, as well as in our own Navy Department, the salutation and complimentary close are omitted from communi

cations within the service, and the signing officer writes his last name only with omission of title below the signature. In the French Army practically the same rule is followed. In the British Navy simplification and abbreviation have been carried further than is here proposed. For example, in correspondence within the office of the First Lord of the Admiralty (the highest officer in that service) he does even less than sign the last name. That official signs only the initial letter of his last name, on the ground that time is too valuable for an officer of such rank to spend any greater part than is absolutely necessary in signing his name. Authoritative approval of matters is all that is desired and that is secured by attaching his initial to the communication or order.

The War Department, in recognition of the substantial advantage to be secured by the elimination of useless ceremonial forms in its correspondence, has directed, by way of experiment, that all ceremonial forms at the beginning and end of letters, such as "Sir," "I have the honor," "I would respectfully," "Very respectfully," etc., shall be omitted, and that the official designation of the writer and the name of the official or person addressed shall be written upon one line, thus:

"Chief Commissary to Adjutant General."

CONCLUSION.

The preceding figures setting forth the possible saving which could be attained if the recommendations of the commission were put into effect are based mainly upon the reports furnished to the commission by the executive departments. They take no account of the saving which could be effected by the introduction of improved methods in the independent governmental establishments and the branches outside of Washington, where there exists an administrative and clerical service considerably larger than that in Washington. If these improvements were extended throughout the Government service, both in Washington and elsewhere, the saving would reach a very much higher figure than heretofore stated.

The further prosecution of the inquiry, and the development of methods based upon the above conclusions, have been placed in the hands of special committees operating independently of each other. Although the commission has representatives on every one of the committees, the determination of the general method of pursuing the subject rests with the majority of each special committee. It may be stated, however, that the recommendations of the committees so far made have been in exact consonance with the general conclusions reached by the commission on the subject and that these conclusions have been embodied in the committees' reports without dissent. This uniform attitude of the committees is disclosed in the reports made by them in regard to the following departments: Navy, Treasury, Agriculture, Post Office, Interior, and Commerce and Labor, which are made a part of this report as Exhibits 2 F, 3 F, 4 F, 5 F, 6 F, and 7 F.

The work of devising improved methods is proceeding satisfactorily in the executive departments and with as much dispatch as circumstances make possible.