The sun., 1917-06-12
100000 LISTED IN CITY
East Side AgitatOrs Busy,
but Little Real DisOr-
der Results.
SHORTAGE OF BLANKS
Age, Especially of Women
Proves Most Troublesome
Question.

New York city registered so fast yes
terday. the first day Of the State mill-
ary census. that many of the more than
5000 polling places" used up two days
supply Of blanks and had to stop work.
Others that were on the list were not
opened at all.
Because Of an oversight by whoever
prepared the census directions ofYices Of
the County Clerks in the Ave boroughs
were thronged by men who had been
led to believe that the County Clerk
could exempt them from possible service
In the State militia. He can exempt
only a small number OF men, members
OF certain classes, but the red certificate
ls and 45 notifying him that he was
enrolled in the militia read as IL all
exemptions for every possible reason
are up to this county official. The re-
suit was that several thousand men lost
q lot of time in travelling to the County
Clerks off'ces to be told what the law
says, but what the census directions
given to the individual do not say. The
error has not been rectifed yet.
About 100000 Enrolled.
II was indicated last night that about
100000 men and women between the
ages OF is and so had enrolled. This is
At least 10000 more tnan was expected.
As there are twelve more census days
II appears that the estimated total for
the city of 100000 names will prob
ably be reached.
No arrests were reported and nothing
like serious trouble was experiences, ex-
cept perhaps in two East Side districts
whence women registrars telephoned
census headquarters last night that po-
lice protection was needed because
crowds were waiting to register and a
handful of declaimers against the cen.
sus were stirring the night air.
r. p. Goodrich. director Of the census
for this city. said last night that In
many places members of the volunteer
force of 40 900 men and women workers
were literally overwhelmed Two-thirds
Of the registry places were open and
running full bl.st. The shortage oi
blanks. it was explained, was due to the
fact that owing to the shortage Of paper
the State had had printed only few
more than will actually be needed and
supplies are being doled out for two days
at a time so that they will not be wasted
Many of the census stations were
spened at o'clock yesterday morning
but the schools could not be used for this
purpose until O'Clock in the afternoon
and the school siege, when 1t started
was tremendous.
Especially good results were reported
from the municipal ferryboats. aboard
which Staten Island commuters an.
swered questions at their leisure. TAX.
ing the city as a whole the average time
consumed In answering the thirty-four
questions for men and the twenty -sever
for women was about six minutes
Wherever supplies ran short or places
that had been advertised for the cen.
sus were not open harsh language was
used regarding the census system. The
directors said this delay was unavoida
Bile, and that with the hrst days ex.
perience and figures to work from tho
machinery will be going smoothly to-
day.
Age Question Worries.
Everywhere the most troublesome
question was "How old are your" Mos
Of the objectors to this were women
Last night a woman telephoned t.
headquarters that two friends Of
hers. a mother and daughter. had giver
the wrong ages, and after leaving the
census station were worried
"Is there any chance that they'll be
found out?' the inquirer asked.
Your friends had better go back and
confess that they fbbed and give the
right figures" was the headquarters
advice.
"But what shall they say in expIana.
tion?"
"Oh. have them tell the registrars
that they looked up their ages In the
family Bible when they got home"
From Madison avenue drug store a
census taker telephoned that Socialist.
had been haranguing the crowd and tell.
ing 1t not to register.
But punched one OF them in tn,
nose and they've gone away" added the
census man.
Miss Edith Austin telephoned from
Chrystadora House. 13l Avenue A. tina
policemen we're needed at the Hol,
Cross Mission, Avenue c and Fourti
street. and the gymnasium in Hamilton
Fish Park. where she said pro and anti
census men were mussing things Sh,
also said that the registration place a
147 Avenue b could not be opened thi
morning unless a policeman was OF
guard.
Queens reported a registration Of 20,
eoo last night, which Is above Its quot,
sembly district In Manhattan reporte,
5000 Other returns were fragmentary
The census people were so busy the,
had no time to count.
I'VE shall open additional registration
places as fact as we can." Mr.. Goodrich
said, "and we request the public to as
sist us, We need more such places an,
many more volunteer"
Much Confusion at First.
Much confusion marked the first day
registration. due to two causes:
First: Census stations either ran shor
=. OF blanks or other material or wer
without It when the census started. Thi
altuation In attrihufad largely N III