Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-21
NEW LIBRARY OFFICIAL.
Roland T.. Fn:kner VIII BE CHER OF
the Division of Documents

Roland r. Fn:kner VIII BE Chief of
the Division of Documents
Roland P Falkner, associate professor Oh
statistics at the University of PennsylFa-
nit. has been appointed chief OF the DIVISION
of documents in the Library of Congress- at
a salary of So 900. He will enter upon his
duties October 1.
The purpose of the division of documents
is stated BY the librarian in his annual estl-
mates for 10000 as follows:
LAS a legislative library the Library OF
Congress should have every document pro-
durable emanating from any public BODY
the United States, the states, foreign coun-
tries important municipalities, and also
from any organization whose WORK Involves
problems of economic interest Wh1ch may
bear upon legislation, constitutions, admin
istration, finance. commerce, trans por'a-
ton manufactures, Industrial condltlols
the management of penal and charitable in
situations. statistics, etc. The present COZ
lection of the library Is exceedingly de-
fective. 1t may be built up only oy lnces-
SAINT solicitation exchange and purchase
There is needed to take this work in mana
a man of thorough education. special train
ing system and vigor, who VIII organize
and catalogue the material here Will COM
plete the files, will be watchful or ne"
documents as issued and prompt and ener-
getc in securing them. The library mas
thousands of duplicates, many or Whlch
will be available Tor exchange lHis WV
sion will conduct all the exchanges
1t is said at the library that 1t was de-
sired to secure for the position a trained
statistician, expert in the handling or sta
tistical material, for the division would In,
clude the entire literature of statistics ana
political and social economy, and 1t was the
expectation that with such an expert In
charge the division would not merely de-
velOp rapidly. but would deal with lmpor-
tant inquiries from members Of Congress
for the specific Information that can be FUR
nished only by such material in the hands
of a trained statistician.
Roland p Falkner was born April IA.
1865 at Bridgeport. Conn, where his father.
Rev. John B. Falkner, was then rector OF
Christ Episcopal Church. In 1863 the lat
ter was called to charge in Philadelphia.
where he has since resided. Mr.. Falkner
was educated in the public schools OF Phila-
dephia, and after graduating from the high
school entered the University of Pennsyl-
vania in the then newly created Wharton
School of Finance and Economy. In 1880
he graduated with the degree of Ph.B. He
Immediately went to Germany where he
studied political economy, history and phi
lOsophy at the universities of Berlin and
Halle, securing late in 1887 the degree of
doctor of philosophy at the latter institu-
ton. He thereupon went to Paris, where
he spent three months in further study OF
political economy at the College de France.
During his stay in Paris he made special
examination and inspection Of the schools
of higher commercial education in that city.
Having been appointed instructor OF &C
counting and statistics a the University OF
PENNSYLVANIA he returned to Germany ana
spent the summer semester of 1883 at the
University OF Leipsic, wnere ne devoted
himself chiefly to a study of the German
commercial law Returning to America ne
assumed the duties OF his lnStructorshlp IN
September, 1888.
In the spring of 1891 DR.. Falkner was APP
pointed associate professor OF staustlcs at
the University of Pennsylvania and de-
oil Nor n torn n
'sity of Evanston, H., to the professorship
Of political economy. In the fall of 1891 he
was appointed statistician to the subcom-
mittee of the committee of finance of the
United States Senate. which was charged
with an investigation into the course Of
prices and wages. The materials for this
work We're gathered largely through the
agency of the United States department OF
labor but the analysis of the figures was
confided wholly to DR.. Falkner The results
of this investigation were the well-known
AIdrich reports devoted, respectively to re-
tail prices and wages g Vols.) and whole
sale prices wages and transportation a
vols.). They constitute the most important
contribution TO the history Of prices and
wages in the United States which has been
made by the government.
In the fall of 1892 Dr. Falkner was APP
pointed secretary to the American delega-
tion to the international monetary confer
ence at Brussels. On arrival at Brussels
DR.. Falkner was also appointed one Of the
secretaries OF the conference. The trans
laton of the official French text of the pro-
ceedings of the conference, which was ap-
pended to the report Of the American dele
gates, was prepared by DR.. Falkner in
collaboration with Mr.. Smith, the English
secretary.
In 1893 DIR. Falkner returned to his aca-
demic work a the University of Pennsylva-
MIA, in which he has since been uninter-
ruptedly engaged. He has taken consid-
cradle part in the work of scientific socie-
ties. When the American Academy Of PO-
litical and Social Science was founded in
1889. he was its first secretary and occupied
this post until 1895. when he became vice
president and acting president of the acad-
envy. until 1898 when pressure of other du-
ties led to his resignation. In 1890 this or
organization began the publication of it's
Annals. which insthe first year was issued
four times and since then six times a year
DR. Falkner has been connected with its
edltorship from the start, occupying the DO
sitfon OF associate editor until 1895 when
he became its editor-in-chief DR. Falkner
has participated also in the work of the
American Economic Associat ton, in which
he filled the position Of vice president In
lSs6-1S9S. and Of the American Statistical
Association, in which he has been for sew
erai years a member of the publication COM
mittee. In 1884 he was honored by an cleo
tion 10 the International Statistical Insti
tute. a body whose membership is drawr
from all parts OF the world, but is limited In
number to 200. He has published a con
siderable number Of essays in economtns