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have been trying by might and main to
maintain the original schedule that we had
set out to maintain to have a daily tran-
script available within twenty-four hours,
so that the transcript of one day's debate
would be available on the next day.
We have not spared expense in trying to
reach this goal, but it has been utterly
impossible of achievement and, as all dele-
gates who have sought copies of the tran-
script are aware, the transcript has fallen
behind. I think the maximum was either
thirteen or fifteen days, I am not sure
which.
This is due to many problems. One is the
simple problem of manpower. We tried at
the beginning of the Convention to obtain
permission from the Speaker of the House
of Representatives in Washington to re-
lease for service in this Convention experi-
enced shorthand reporters and stenotype
reporters so they could help us maintain
the schedule. This permission was refused.
The number of such persons available in
Baltimore and Washington to gatherings
of this sort is limited. Although I think we
secured the services of one of the best, if
not the best such reporting concern in these
parts, both of the gentlemen having had
prior experience with the reporting for
Congress, it is physically impossible to
keep up with two reporters reporting a
Convention whose sessions run as long as
this Convention's does, this notwithstand-
ing the fact that the transcription of the
stenotype reporter's notes is not made by
the reporter, but by a stenotype reader who
reads the stenotype notes and types it. This
means it is a separate person. These per-
sons have worked late into the night, 1:00,
2:00 and 3:00 o'clock, in an effort to have
the transcript typed.
The problem of reproduction of the tran-
script has also been monumental. We
started with the idea of having a tran-
script copy available for every delegate.
This so completely tied down our print
shop that it was unworkable. We requested
delegates not to have copies unless they
really wanted them, and thereby we cut in
half the number of transcript copies.
Notwithstanding this fact, and notwith-
standing the fact that the print shop
works unconscionably long hours, they are
much further behind in printing the tran-
script than the stenotype reporters are in
making it available. This is, in a sense, a
dismal picture. I present it to you because
it is a cold, hard fact.
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On the other hand, as all of you are
aware, the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD is avail-
able at 9:00 A.M. every morning for debates
the previous day, and I made inquiry as to
how this is possible. It is possible, and
would be possible for this Convention, and
I suppose for the legislature, provided two
things: either unlimited or certainly not
seriously limited funds; but, more impor-
tantly, personnel.
Congress achieves its ability to report
transcripts so quickly by having a battery
of short hand, not stenotype, reporters on
the floor of the Congress. Each reporter
while on duty serves seven minutes at a
time, and stands within a few feet of the
person speaking. When his seven minutes
of duty are ended, he retires from the floor
to a room adjacent to the chamber where
he immediately dictates his notes to a
stenographer who immediately transcribes
them.
They are returned to the member who
made the speech within the hour. He makes
such corrections as he deems necessary,
and the document, the transcript, is then
referred to another group of representa-
tives of the Government Printing Office
who are on duty, as I understand it, 24
hours a day. They mark the transcript for
the printer. It goes to the Printing Office
and is printed that night.
I mention this to point out to you that
it is feasible, with the money and with the
personnel that the federal governmcMit has,
to have the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD avail-
able immediately. I think our experience
in the Convention is of interest to you in
considering feasibility so far as the legisla-
ture is concerned.
Are there any questions of the Chair
before debate ?
The Chair recognizes Delegate Ryb-
czynski.
DELEGATE RYBCZYNSKJ: Mr. Presi-
dent, I have found that one of the first
things that a young lawyer must learn is
when to stop his case, and I do not mind
telling you that I feel very tempted at this
point to stop in my case. I am going to do
just that.
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Gallagher.
DELEGATE GALLAGHER: Before I
say anything, Mr. Chairman, do you want
to be recorded for or against this amend-
ment? It would appear to me that the va-
lidity of the practice remains unchanged:
This cannot be, if I may quote my fellow
delegate.
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