Dr. MENDENHALL. Yes; we have published something like 2,000 volumes of books during our nearly 60 years of life. The item which appears on page 327, that is, "Printing and binding", is divided into three subitems, the first of which is "For printing and binding, $120,000." That is the amount that is spent through the Public Printer for the publication of our reports for distribution to the public. An example of that would be the Boulder Dam report which we have mentioned here. That is the way our results on geological investigation get to the public-by publication. Mr. FITZPATRICK. Is any charge made for the publications? Dr. MENDENHALL. Yes; they are being sold by the Superintendent of Documents at moderate prices. Mr. FITZPATRICK. And where does that money go? Dr. MENDENHALL. It goes back to the Treasury. Mr. FITZPATRICK. Then is it transferred to you again? Dr. MENDENHALL. No; we never see it again. We don't know what becomes of it. Mr. FITZPATRICK. Do you suppose that it is sufficient to pay for the cost of the printing and binding? Dr. MENDENHALL. I will ask Mr. Sears to tell you about that. Mr. SEARS. A minor part of this $120,000 is used for printing the necessary office forms and for the binding of books and periodicals in our library. But the major part is used for the issue of our reports, which are printed at the Government Printing Office. The money covers all costs of the typesetting, the making of plates for the illustrations, and the actual presswork and binding of what we call the Survey's own editions. These Survey editions are very small; they are used for the official purposes of the Geological Survey and other Federal and State agencies, for distribution to educational and other institutions on an exchange basis as authorized by law, and for complying with the requests of Senators and Representatives. These editions are not sold. To meet general public demands, the Superintendent of Documents at his own expense-not from this fund-prints an overrun of each edition; and he pays only the cost of the paper and presswork of that part which he overruns, we from this fund having paid all the preliminary cost of the edition. He therefore sells his sale edition at a cost which merely reimburses him for that minor cost. Mr. FITZPATRICK. And the Government gets nothing out of it? It just gets the cost back? Mr. SEARS. It gets the cost of the sale edition back. Mr. FITZPATRICK. Do you in your own office prepare any of those pamphlets that you get out? Mr. SEARS. We do not print any pamphlets in our own plant. Our only printing plant is a map-reproduction plant, which is covered and financed by this third subitem that is before you on page 327, namely, "For engraving and printing geologic and topographic maps." Those are maps which are issued by us and are sold by us. They are not sold by the Superintendent of Documents. Mr. FITZPATRICK. Where does that fund go? Mr. SEARS. That goes as miscellaneous receipts into the Treasury. Mr. FITZPATRICK. And not for your use? Mr. SEARS. It is not turned back to us. Mr. LEAVY. But for this whole item of printing and binding there is an increase asked of $10,500? Mr. SEARS. $10,000 of the increase is in the subitem for printing topographic maps. As explained in the justification, $5,000 of that increase is to provide enough for some new equipment. Mr. LEAVY. It is essentially to replace some worn-out equipment? Mr. SEARS. Yes; there is an old, slow-speed direct press bought, in 1890, which is almost falling to pieces. At a cost of $16,000 we can get a new high-speed press, which will do faster and more economical work. That is the particular need there. The other $5,000 is to increase by that small amount the production of new maps, which is badly in arrearage, and for the reprinting of older maps. We have today, as the Director said earlier, something like 4,000 different quadrangle topographic maps and perhaps 4,000 additional maps, special geologic maps, base maps, relief maps, and other types. A large number of these are out of print and the cannot fill purchase orders. We are selling maps faster than before and we cannot reprint fast enough to keep pace with the demands. Mr. FITZPATRICK. Has the demand for those maps been increasing in recent years? Mr. SEARS. It is steadily increasing. We have given the figures for the past 3 years in our justifications. There has been a steady increase for several years, particularly in the sale of maps. The distribution for the past year was about three-quarters of a million copies, of which roughly 80 percent were sold. Mr. FITZPATRICK. From 1934 to 1936 there was an increase of 130,000 which you sold in that 3-year period? Mr. SEARS. Yes; the sales in 1934 were 459,000 copies, and in 1936, 390,000 copies. Mr. FITZPATRICK. Are there any questions? Mr. SCRUGHAM. No further questions. PURCHASE, MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND OPERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES Mr. FITZPATRICK. On pages 338 and 339 of the committee bill you have the total items of maintenance, repair, and operation of cars. Those items total $55,000. That seems rather large. The pages referred to are as follows: Statement of proposed expenditures for purchase, maintenance, repair, and operation of motor-propelled and horse-drawn passenger-carrying vehicles for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1938, as required by U. S. Code, title 5, sec. 78 Public purpose and users 170 1 coupe for the division engineer, and 4 coupes for section chiefs 1 coupe for the division engineer for use in contacting and New cars and old cars to be used by geologists doing geologic For use by the district engineer and his assistants with For use by the district engineer and his assistants with Geologic surveys. 3 2,000 3 200 1,800 15 15 Gaging streams. 2 1, 140 2 450 690 1 For use by the district engineer and his assistants with For use by the district engineer and his assistants with For use by the district engineer and his assistants with For use by the district engineer and his assistants with For use by the district engineer and his assistants with For use by the district engineer and his assistants with Do. Do. Do. Do. Do Do. Do. 910 520 Do. Do. 530 |