Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-10
Work. on Thirteenth Census to
Be Largely CurtaiIed.
STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR
Dismissal Of Temporary Clerks and
Other Measures Of Economy.
INCOMPLETE WORK RESULTS
Only Such Parts Of Tabulation as
Are Earthest Advanced to
Be Finished.

Details of the effect on the completion
Of the thirteenth decenntal census caused
by the recently announced reduction in
the clerical force in the census bureau
and explaining how the reductions were
made have been furnished Secretary Ma
gel Of the Department OF Commerce and
Labor by. Director e. Dana Duraud on
the request OF the Secretary.
The census director says that, notwith-
standing every possible economy, includ-
ing overtime work and the withdrawal of
leave privileges. 1t will be impossible for
the census bureau to complete all OF the
branches Of the decennial census work by
June 80. the date fixed by law for the
publication OF the results. Under these
conditions 1t has seemed the wisest policy
largely to concentrate the force in such
way as to complete those parts Of the
work which are now the furthest adj
vanced. While some work will be con-
tinued upon other subjects, It cannot be
expected that they will be completed.
Principal Populations Only.
by following this policy 1t Is believed
that at least the principal fluctuations
concerning fully three-fourths Of the
subjects covered by the census can be
completed by Juno so. 1912, although it
is uncertain to what extent the funds
will permit the publication Of the re-
suits.
Special local presentations will be im-
possible. Again, It will probably be inn
possible to prepare bulletins for indivtd-
statistics collected concerning manufac-
lures will be compiled In the form OF
state bulletins, or in the form Of general
tables, classified according to subjects
with industries listed under each subject
THE shortage in the appropriations
Of the census bureau will probably In
terfere with the proper printing and
distribution of the results of the GEN.
sus. even with respect 70 those SUBJ
jects the clerical work Of which 10
completed.
The question arises whether the
work on subjects which cannot be
completed in the present fiscal year
can be completed and the results pub
lished at some future time. This will
depend upon the appropriations avail
decision. which presumably Will have. to
POE made lny CONGRESS- as ITO whether
the. cofnpletions of the thirteenth census
shau take ypreeedence. over the annual
and special Investigations prescribed
by the permanent census act.
Dismissal Of Employees.
with .regard to the reduction of the
temporary force Of his bureau, Mr.. Du-
rand states: - y.
ION account Of the great shortage of
the anpropfiatiopss it was obvious that
the bureau must either Immediately great
" redpcs its tamRo5ary. force or would
OH hnth hn tho
pansnt, Aprce. seemed preferable to set
aside Ahlfcieut FUNDS from the available
appropriation to pay the salaries OF the
permanent force until June 30, and, after
necessary expenditures. to reduce the tenn
porary force sufficiently to bring the ex-
penditures within the. limit OF the APP
"it also seemed wisest to retain a small
number Of the temporary force for an ap-
preciable period Of time rather than to
retain q large number for q very short
time. 1t would not have been possible to
retain the entire number of temporary
clerks much beyond January %. It was,
therefore, decided to reduce the number
Of temporary clerks to about 400, as COM
pared with over: 900 who were on the
rolls before December 81. and to retain
these 900 at least until the end Of Feb
ruarX. ; II.
Discrimination Avoided.
ain making this great reduction of the
temporary force 1t was desirable to find
some principle which would avoid the ne
cessity. of personal discrimination and
which at the same time would enable the
bureau to get the greatest amount Of use-
fulness from the services OF the clerks
who remained 1t was decided to attempt
to complete those branches Of the decen-
NAL census which are nearest completion.
largely deferring work upon those
branches which are at present less adj
1.-The clerks in the results sections OF the
division OF agriculture and population are
those who put the finishing touches upon
the work which Is near completion. Con-
seQuently the larger number of temporary
clerks In these results sections were re-
tanned and all other temporary clerks
were dropped. No exceptions whatever
were made and no clerks were transferred
into the results sections in order to retain
them on the rolls. In order to reduce
somewhat the number of clerks In the re-
suits sections themselves the clerks who
had been on the work for the shortest
period OF time were dropped.
State Apportionment.
ut would have been unduly .expen-
sive to follow the principle OF appor.
tionment among the states in connec-
ton with this great reduction OF the
force. Had 1t been possible to reduce
the force more gradually that principle
would have been followed. as 1t had
been prior to December 81. To follow
1t IN this case, however. would have
meant the necessity OF extensively
changing the composition Of the
force IN the results sections, and 1t
would have taken the clerks trans
fefred into those sections. q long time
to acquire the special experience which
those dropped.
ONE CENT FOR LETTERS.
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