Mr. STEFAN. This item was $590,000 for this fiscal year, and you are asking for $629,000 for 1949. Mr. CHANDLER. That is right. Mr. STEFAN. How much do you have left on hand for travel? Mr. STEFAN. Yes. Mr. BROWN. The figures so far indicate we will use practically all the appropriation. The obligation for the 4 months, that is, through October, amounted to $135,300, and on the basis of the usual experience for that period of time, projected on an annual basis, it represents about $577,500. Mr. STEFAN. How does that compare with the year before? Mr. BROWN. For the same period last year, it was $135,080—just about the same amount. Mr. STEFAN. Almost exactly the same. Mr. BROWN. Yes, sir. Mr. STEFAN. Now, you have some additions here. Let us take those right down the line. You have an increase for travel of judges of $7.000. Mr. CHANDLER. There is one item of additional travel of judges, and that is explained on page 151 of the justifications. Mr. STEFAN. Is that because of the increased assignments to these judges? Mr. CHANDLER. That is an element in it and also you know railroad fares are being raised and hotel rates are going up. JUSTIFICATION OF THE ESTIMATES Mr. STEFAN. We will insert page 151 of the justifications in the record at this point. (The matter above referred to is as follows:) Increases for 1949 Judges' travel and maintenance. An increase of $7,000 in the allotment for judges' travel is requested for 1949. The actual expenditures for judges' travel and maintenance in 1947 was $181,474 as compared with an allotment for 1948 of only $178,000. It is apparent that the sum available for 1948 will be inadequate because the number of judges actually serving is expected to be greater in 1948 than in 1947 and the charges for maintenance are likely to be greater because of increased living costs. It is necessary to request a modest increase in this allotment for 1949 so that it will equal the actual requirements for 1947 and provide for a slight increase in subsistence charges and travel for the larger number of judges. Conference of United States court clerks.-The request of last year for funds to provide for a conference of clerks of circuit and district courts to be held at Washington, D. C., is renewed for the fiscal year 1949. The need for holding a conference of clerks and the benefits which are sure to inure from such a meeting are so clear that we are again presenting the matter for the consideration of the Congress. CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED STATES COURT CLERKS Mr. CHANDLER. I would like to say just a word in reference to the conference of the United States court clerks. Mr. STEFAN. That is the item for $12,000? Mr. CHANDLER. Yes. We have asked for that on the basis of the cost of the conference of the United States attorneys. I would not propose and never have proposed that there be an annual conference of court clerks, but I do seriously urge that provision be made for an occasional conference of the court clerks of the country. The Administrative Office has been developing a manual of procedure for court clerks. Mr. STEFAN. Has one ever been held? Mr. CHANDLER. None has ever been held. I made this proposal before this committee 5 or 6 years ago, and the chairman at that time said, "That is a good proposal, but we are coming into the war; so you will have to wait until after the war." Now the war is over, and there are many technical matters which the clerks of the courts handle about which they could be enlightened if they could be brought together for discussion. Their morale would be improved. And while I would not ask for an annual conference, I certainly do urge that provision be made for a conference as soon as this committee, in its wisdom, will provide the funds. Mr. O'BRIEN. Why would it not be a good thing to postpone this until some later date, in view of the fact that transportation cost is so high? Mr. CHANDLER. Congressman O'Brien, you usually are sensible, and this is an illustration of it. We do need the conference; there is no doubt about that; but if, in the judgment of this committee, this is not the time to hold it, of course, we should defer it. Mr. STEFAN. What would be the agenda; what would be the problems they would take up? Mr. CHANDLER. I want to make it plain that to this conference, if one was held, only one representative from an office would have his expenses paid. Normally he would be the clerk; but, if he was unable to come, he would designate his deputy. up. I will ask Mr. Whitehurst to speak to what subjects will be brought Mr. WHITEHURST. One will be the developing and keeping of a general index of technical problems relating to the keeping of an index of the records of the court with reference to litigants, judgments, admissions to the bar, and all other matters that relate to the keeping of a record in the clerk's office. Another problem would be how best to manage the divisional offices so as to avoid duplication of work in the headquarters office and yet keep proper control over the work of the divisional offices. Another one would be the virtue of keeping loose-leaf dockets as against permanently bound dockets. Another question in the discussion is just what should be put into the dockets in reference to types of cases, nature of cases, and so forth. Another problem would be the general administration of the clerk's office relating to personnel problems and the Retirement Act, and the application of leave laws and regulations, preparation of vouchers, and so forth, the proper handling of inventories of supplies and equipment, and so forth. Mr. STEFAN. I think that is sufficient. Thank you, Mr. Whitehurst. What about this $7,000 for probation officers? Mr. CHANDLER. That is the appropriation for the travel of the additional probation officers for whom we have asked, if you grant that request. Mr. STEFAN. And what about the $13,000 for criers? Mr. CHANDLER. The same thing is true of the $13,000 for criers. Naturally, if we have criers, they will have to travel. PRINTING AND BINDING, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND UNITED STATES COURTS JUSTIFICATION OF THE ESTIMATES Mr. STEFAN. The next item is "Printing and Binding, Administrative Office and United States Courts." We will insert in the record pages 157, 160, 161, 162, and 163 of the justifications at this point. (The matter above referred to is as follows:) Statement relating appropriation estimate to current appropriation—Printing and binding, Administrative Office and United States Courts The estimate for 1949 of $85,800 represents an increase of $16,800 over the amount appropriated for 1948. The entire amount of the increase is to provide for the higher cost of printing and binding and the price of paper stock. Increases Cost of forms at the seat of government and in the field_. Cost of dockets____. Cost of binding at Government Printing Office and by contract_. $2,500 1,300 2, 600 Cost of printing opinions of circuit courts of appeals and annual report 10, 400 Total increases_ 16, 800 It is requested that an increase of $2,500 be provided for in 1949 to meet the higher cost of printing forms at the Government printing plants for use of court officials. The cost of this type of printing is expected to be 15 percent greater in 1949 than for 1948, and the allotment has been increased by $2,500 or in the approximate proportion mentioned. An increase of $1,300 is requested in the fund for the printing and furnishing of dockets for the use of the United States courts to cover a 15-percent rise in costs in this item in 1948. The actual cost of dockets in 1947 was $7,212 and with the increase referred to above the costs in 1949 are expected to be about $8,300 as compared with the amount available for 1948 of $7,000. The estimate for 1949 has been increased by $2,600 to meet the rise in the cost of binding at the Government Printing Office of 15 percent and at contract binderies of approximately 33% percent. Much of the essential binding for the courts has been deferred in recent years due to the high cost of this work and the further fact that the allotments were insufficient to undertake such projects. Some of this material is irreplaceable if destroyed, and it is in such poor condition that there is real danger that it cannot be restored if allowed to go any longer. It is of the utmost importance, therefore, that this item be allowed in order that the most urgent binding may be undertaken in the coming year. An increase of $10,400 is included to cover the cost of printing the opinions of the United States circuit court of appeals and the combined annual report of the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts and the report of the meetings of the Judicial Conference of Senior Circuit Judges, as explained in the three following paragraphs. The cost of printing the opinions of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1948 will exceed by approximately 15 percent the cost in 1947 which amounted to $1,548. The estimated cost for 1948 on this basis will be $1,750. The amount available for this purpose in 1948, however, is only $1,000 so that it is necessary to increase the fund by $750 in the estimate for 1949. The cost of printing opinions of the 10 circuit courts of appeals outside the District of Columbia, which is done by commercial printers under contracts, has risen by about one-third since 1947 when the costs totaled $21,841. It is estimated, therefore, that this item will amount to about $30,000 in 1949 which is $7,000 more than the amount provided for 1948 of $23,000. An increase of $2,650 in the item for printing the annual report of the Director of the Administrative Office and the report of the Judical Conference of Senior Circuit Judges is requested for 1949. The actual cost in 1947 was $4,891 and there has been a 15 percent increase in the cost of printing since that time making a total prospective cost in 1949 of $5,650 as compared with the amount available for this purpose in 1948 of only $3,000. Mr. STEFAN. I notice there is quite an increase asked here. You had $69,000 in the appropriation for 1948 and are asking $85,800 for 1949. What is the reason for that? Mr. CHANDLER. This is based upon the rise in prices, $16,800. Mr. WHITEHURST. We have had a difficult time with this appropriation. We have been doing as much duplicating as we can in our office to avoid the high printing costs, and we have cut corners. To give you one example, under the rules of the Joint Committee on Printing, judges are entitled to embossed stationery. They were not furnished that. We have cut it out entirely. Mr. CHANDLER. And we have received some rather sharp letters about it, in consequence. Mr. WHITEHURST. It is very high, and we just eliminated it entirely. We felt that we had to do it, because the funds had to be reserved for items which we could not do without. PRINTING AND BINDING REPORTS OF THE SUPREME COURT SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS Mr. STEFAN. The next is the item for printing and binding the reports of the Supreme Court, and we will insert page 164 of the justifications in the record at this point. (The matter above referred to is as follows:) Statement relating appropriation estimate to current appropriation—Printing and binding, reports, Supreme Court Mr. STEFAN. Will you justify that? $80, 250 10, 950 91, 200 Mr. WHITEHURST. We have no control over that at all. This takes care of the printing and binding of the United States Reports. The work is done by the Government Printing Office, and they furnish us the estimates and we pay for it. It is in here as a matter of convenience; that is about all there is to it. Mr. STEFAN. Are there any questions on this item? Mr. HORAN. I notice the Supreme Court increase is not quite as large as this one. Mr. CHANDLER. I do not know just why that is. We have an estimate of the cost of printing the Supreme Court Reports. That is for the printing of the United States Reports. The printing that is done by the Administrative Office for the Court, you will realize—— Mr. HORAN. Is a bigger variety? Mr. CHANDLER. Is much more of a variety. Part of it is for forms; part of it is for opinions of the courts of appeal; part is for the report of the Administrative Office, which I am trying to keep as low as I can, knowing the high cost of printing. I could not tell you just why the difference comes in, except there are so much greater number and variety of items in the general printing and binding appropriation than in the appropriation for the printing and binding of the Reports of the United States Supreme Court. |