In addition to that, these 7 men have 1 messenger, and the messenger is used by 35 Members of Congress on the committee; and also, we are calling on this messenger not only to do messenger work, but he has charge of the actual cleaning of six rooms, being in charge of the cleaning and janitorial work. This committee should also have an assistant messenger.

And in addition to that, there are two men on the committee-I think all the rest of them should have larger salaries-but Mr. Pugh gets $5,000, plus $1,000.

I would like very much to see, and I believe most of you would like to see, that $1,000 increased to $2,000, giving him $5,000 plus $2,000. I say that, because there is not a harder-working man in the Government than he is.

And what I have said about him I can also say with equal truthfulness about Jim Scanlon, who edits all of the testimony given in the hearings held by this committee. He is at work during the day and at night; and I do not know anybody that has to do any more painstaking work, or any harder work, than Mr. Scanlon, and I would like to see his salary increased to $5,000.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. What does he get now?

Mr. COLLINS. He gets $3,900. There is not a man in any Government agency that does the type of work that Mr. Scanlon does. Mr. POWERS. Does he not edit all of the testimony?

Mr. COLLINS. He edits all the testimony given in the hearings held by the different subcommittees of the Committee on Appropriations, and he saves a large amount every year by striking out useless and immaterial matter, because it is his duty to edit the testimony of all the committee hearings.

Mr. POWERS. I am very much interested in what you say about Mr. Pugh and also Mr. Scanlon, particularly Mr. Pugh, because I have been in contact with him much more than Mr. Scanlon, so I know more about what John Pugh does than about what Jim Scanlon does.

John Pugh acts as clerk for the subcommittee in charge of the War Department appropriation bill and also the subcommittee in charge of the Navy Department appropriation bill.

I do not know of a more efficient Government employee in the entire United States than John Pugh. John Pugh is now getting $6,000 a year, and he saves the Government of the United States a thousand times that amount of money in a year.

Mr. SNYDER. My observation is that John Pugh knows more about the Army and the Navy than all of Congress, all the War Department, all the Navy Department, put together, when it comes to the matter of finances.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. We thank you very much for your very frank statement about the things you have referred to, Mr. Collins.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1937.

RETIREMENT OF UNITED STATES SUPERINTENDENT OF METERS

STATEMENT OF H. O. BAILEY, UNITED STATES SUPERINTENDENT
OF METERS

Mr. DOCKWEILER. Gentlemen, we have with us Mr. Bailey, who at
the present time serves the Architect of the Capitol in the function of
superintendent of meters.

If you will recall, the other day it was suggested by the Architect
of the Capitol that the salary in the office of the superintendent of
meters be transferred by legislative language to the Interior Depart-
ment. Mr. Bailey wishes to make a statement on a matter connected
with his position.

Mr. BAILEY. I took office on June 30, 1886. I have served in that
office continually since then, during which time there has been no leave
whatever. I have been on duty constantly.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. You do not have any assistant?

Mr. BAILEY. No assistant; no, sir.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. And you have been superintendent of meters
ever since July 1, 1886?

Mr. BAILEY. Yes, sir.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. And you have never had a vacation during that
time?

Mr. BAILEY. Never had a vacation; never had a minute.

Mr. SNYDER. Congratulations!

Mr. RABAUT. That is 51 years, is it not?

Mr. BAILEY. Fifty-one years the 30th of June.

Mr. SNYDER. And you have never had any vacation?

Mr. BAILEY. Never had any; no, sir.

Mr. SNYDER. Do you want a vacation?

Mr. BAILEY. Well, I would like to have some.

Mr. RABAUT. What kind of meters do you inspect?

Mr. BAILEY. I inspect all gas and electric and steam meters, where-
ever the Government buys current, steam, and gas. It is a very
dangerous position. I have to go into these transformers, where
there are 6,600 or 13,200 volts, and you do not know whether you
are coming out or not.

Mr. RABAUT. Well, you have been pretty successful at it for 50
years.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. You are ready to go on the retired list, are you
not?

Mr. BAILEY. Yes, sir.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. What is it you wish this committee to do?

Mr. BAILEY. I was going to ask the committee this. I know that
somebody has got to instruct the new incumbent, no matter who he is.
He could not walk around into the places where these meters are.
Mr. SNYDER. That is correct.

Mr. BAILEY. They have asked me to do it. If I am going to
retire, and if they ask me to do it, there should be some compensation
during the time I instruct the new incumbent

Mr. DOCKWEILER. You want the committee to provide for com-
pensation during the time you are instructing the new man?

Mr. BAILEY. Or else something additional on the retired list, either

one.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. What is your compensation now?

Mr. BAILEY. $2,100.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. And when you go on the retired list, what provision has been made for your compensation?

Mr. BAILEY. $1,200 a year.

Mr. DocKWEILER. And you want extra compensation during the time you are instructing the new man who is going to take over?

Mr. BAILEY. Either that or an additional amount on the retired list. Of course, I do not know how long I am going to live. I will be 74 years old this month.

Mr. SNYDER. When did you retire?

Mr. BAILEY. I will retire in June, sir.

Mr. SNYDER. If this new man were put on April 1, and your salary were allowed to run as it is until you retire, and the new man was paid for these 3 months, would that take care of the situation?

Mr. BAILEY. I do not think he could pick it up in that time. I think it will take about a year and a half. It took me about 2 years. Of course, it was nothing then as it is now. There are about 2,200

-meters, 2,200 places where you have got to stop.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. Are you able to cover those in a week's time? Mr. BAILEY. Eleven days.

Mr. DOCKWEILER. What would be the situation if something happened to you? How would a new man take hold?

Mr. BAILEY. He would have an awful time. The chances are he would be killed. You know how dangerous it is to go around something that has 13,200 volts or 6,600 volts. They do not allow anybody in the Capítol power plant at all, and there they have only 6,600 volts.

Mr. SNYDER. How many days have you missed in 51 years?
Mr. BAILEY. I was sick some time in 1895, for about 2 months.
Mr. SNYDER. You have not been sick since 1895?

Mr. BAILEY. That is correct. I have not missed a day since 1895. Mr. DOCKWEILER. We will consider this matter when the committee, in executive session, marks up the bill. We appreciate your presenting this matter to us.

Mr. BAILEY. Thank you, gentlemen.

INDEX

A

Page

Air mail frank for use of the Members of the House...
Appropriations Committee, clerical force of
Architect of the Capitol, Office of..

46

326

156

Cost accounting--

Current furnished by Potomac Electric Power Co., to...

Congressional hearings, cost of printing..

Duplicating machines for printing in the Executive departments, use

of..

283

283

310

315

317

286, 311

221

288, 296

293

307

283

288, 296