The Detroit times., 1912-01-25
BANK EXAMINERS MUST
ACCOUNT FOR SERVICES
Comptroller of the Currency
Murray Asks Them to Tell
How Time Is Spent.

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WASHINGTON, Jan 25.--lt is hint
Cd in the treasury department that
some OF the gentlemen engaged in the
pleasant and genteel work OF bank
examining at comfortable govern
nent salary, haven't been earning
their keep. And that is dreadful
thing 10 say about any person with
he hauteur and bearing OF an aver
age national bank examiner.
But Comptroller of the Currency
Lawrence o. Murray, who has dlrec-
ton Of the examiners, sent them all
most disconcerting letter this week.
In " he ordered the innovation OF
having each examiner, at the close OF
each week, fill out a blank account
ing for how he spent the time each
working day, and telling what he Is
probably going to do the next week
This letter will also be an aid 10
the once in determining why the
work OF some bank examiners is not
kept up TO date Is the significant
concluding sentence OF a statement
given out by Murray with the letter .
Will Report On Cotton.
The work of the tariff board, even
under the last years appropriation
by no means ceased with the publlca-
ton OF the wool report. \ report on
the cotton industry. even more eX-
hanstive than the wool publication,
Will go from the board TO the White
House and thence TO congress about
Feb. I.
The board began the investigation
OF the difference in cost OF produc-
ink cotton goods at home and abroad
spontaneously with the wool investi-
gation. OF the scores OF tarin board
experts who swarmed into foreign
countries as soon as the body got It's
appropriation and began work, many
collected statistics from both cotton
and wooden industries.
Japan and China, England, Germany,
France and Belgium-these are some
OF the countries in which the manu-
facture OF cotton fabrics has been
studied exhaustively by the tarin
board agents. The report will fill five
big volumes. against four for the wool
report. Ii is said that the cotton re-
port is the most complete study OF the
worlds costs OF production OF any
commodity ever made. The final work
OF tabulation Is being rushed by a
force of so expert statisticians.
lin a way, the tariff boards work
on the cotton schedule was simpler
than the task imposed by the wool
study. In that there was required no
. Study of the cost of producing raw
cotton either at home or abroad.
Raw cotton is on the free list, and
tho tariff board is paying no attention
to- free list commodities. The de-
termination of the cost OF raw wool in
various countries was one of the most
dlflcult tasks the board ever at
tempted.
The cotton report will devote an en-
tire volume, the last in the set, TO the
DISCUSSION of labor employed in domes
tic and foreign mills. In its wool
Studies the board found that Ameri-
can wooden mill employees are higher
paid and less efficient than any wool
en- operatives elsewhere in the world.
II Is thought the cotton labor report
will be almost reversed. AS far as
wages GO, IT is said that the report
will show American and foreign labor
in cotton mills, TO be almost on a
parity, due to the extensive employ
ment of women and children in this
country.
The Democratic house OF represen-
takipes has expressed determination to
refuse further appropriations to
maifitain the tariff board. II this
threat be carried out, the board will
cease to exist, after June, and its cot
ton and wool reports will be its last
works. The board win, however, dur
. ing e~preeent session, submit what
1t calls glossaries of the chemical and
ieather industries. o..
These glossaries are the collection
and tabulation of all the published
facts in each industry. They will not,
Of course, be backed by any field In
vestigations, except some casual ones
made by the boards cotton and wool
en- experts IN foreign countries OF
chemicals used in these industries.
Glossaries of the cotton and wool in
dustries were also made while the
MISREPRESENTATION were in progress.
The chemical glossary will be ready
for. eongress about Feb. Is. while the
leather glossary will not be submitted
until some time In the spring.
How Compass Points.
True as the magnetic needle TO
the pole" is familiar but most ur
true adage, according TO the Coast and
Geodetfe Survey bureau.
On only a small part OF the earth
does the compass point direct to the
North pole, the government experts
declare. webbing of the compass is
caused by variant magnetic attraction,
they assert. ~
Christopher Columbus, on his cele.
brated voyage in 1892, first discov-
cred the importance Of the needle. His
sailors were terror-stricken to find
their compass pointed a few points