Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-26

OVER s.ooo BLANKS
 HAVE BEEN RETURNED
 Local Military csnsus Daily Appreaeh. ing the Finish Lies. The military census in Norwich is daily approaching the finish line. On Saturday night over 5000 properly filled in census blanks were in the sus headquarters fin the chamber of comxnerce building. The check list Is about completed and within a very short time the blanks will be mailed ford.
 Hundreds of examples Of the value of the Connecticut military census, now in progress throughout the state, in able for service in time of war--but not for service among the states fight ing men--are being received daily at the state headquarters in Hartford as towns and cities. One illustration taken from a blank received yesterday will serve to ex. plain this feature Of the military cen- stls. The enfollment wa9 that Of C man who gave his present trade, oc- cupAtfon or prefession'' AS artist An ordinary census showing that would not indicats the possibility of any spe- ciaa ability Of this man to serve the state in war time other than as an army pr navy recruit.
 But the Connecticut military census got back of the mans present ocou- patton and asks if he has had experi- ence in the past in any particular line. 10 tl1is question, this artist replied that he had been A .4toolmaxine me- chAnic." Right there is the key to the .f~&A <xA kT~4 4& 1S.@ sus.
 Modern warfars calls into servics men for ali branches of work. From the record card made from this mans ess1sus blank the state knows there experience, would be available for ser vice of a most valuable kind in some branch of the munitions making in- dustry.
 This census Is not an enroliment of
 lighting men only. It takes into ac- count ai tho branches of work which would be required in time of war. That Is it's greatest value.
 Of the many features Of the military census work now in progress through out CoHnecticut. the most interesting of all is the method by which the re- headauarters in Hartford. The latest scientific methods by which large cor- porations keep track of a great volume of business have been adapted to the need ef this work and will be used so that the result of the census may be instantly available at any time. This part of the details has been handled by Norman R. Moray, vice president and general manager of the Hartford Accident and Indemnity company, who has adapted to the needs of the census the elaborate system in use in a large insurance off1ce.
 When the towns and cities have q number of returns ready on the spe- rsrxT A-I~ c.. they forward them to the state head quarters In Hartford, where the details of tabuIating and recording the re- sults are handled. As each individual census blank is received it gets a serial number. The information put on the blanks is put into code. Ali this is then transferred to cards and, instead of having the information written upon holes according to the code system. Expert operators on special punching machines do this part of the work, filling a carS with large number of holes, so that. when 1t is completed. 1t looks very much like a worn -out meal ticket.
 For instance, the card of John Jones is made out when his census return has been received. An index card is made out containing his name and the serial number The census card will receive corresponding number, not in figures. but by a series of holes punched in it. He gives his age as 1T. and holes punched in the cards will indicate. that, His height is shown in feet and inches and his weight in fig ures by hDira p'i->r ri,oII fl, the card The code indicates whether he is mari, single or a wiuosver and whether he has dependents and how many. There are large number of classif1cations of employment, and combinations of holes punched into the card indicates what the employment of John Jones is nt fra IA which might be of service to his -coun- try in time of war. Other holes indi- cate whether he is a citizen and, if not his nationality. Thee is code for his previous military service. if he has any, for his rank, for the length of time he served and all other details. The census blank will tell whether he has special ability along any particu- punched in the card will show what his answers were to this important question. There is absolutely no writ ing on the census card.
 After the making of these cards is completed they will be filed away in freproof and burgiarproof caults. The code by which the holes were punched will be sent to the governors office to be kept there, and all copies of 1t wili be destroyed. It will be impossi- cards in the punching or in the tabu- iating to learn the complete code so that it would be of any use to any person. The entire census is to be absolutely secret and kept for the benefit of the state of Connecticut if the hour ever comes when 1t needs men.
 Perhaps more interesting than the cards themselves is the method by which they will be handled. This win all be done by machinery. Highly per- feoted machines, which can handle the cards at 6 rate of 2so a minute, will be used for sorting and tabu1atif1g the many cards. It Is estimated that there win be nearly 50o,0e of these cards when the census is completed. Sup pose the time should ever come when Connecticut wanted to know as soon as possible the number of mechanics within her borders. Two of these machines could go through every card in the state within 15 hours and sort out the cards of mechanics. at the same time making sortings for II other different ciassihcations. 1t is possible to classify the cards under any series of cauahiratiaua dhsirad. Thege ma .