New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-14
Over a Thousand Registra-
ton Stations in Greater
City Forced to Suspend
No Relief to Be Had
Until Saturday
100000 Have Registered in
Five Boroughs, However,
in Three Days

One-third Of the $3.50 stations in
greater New York for registration in
the state military census were closed
yesterday because of lack of blanks.
Except for registration in $50 public
schools and in a few other scattered
stations, where ample supplies we're re-
ported, the census work in this city
will be practically suspended until Sat-
urday. By that time Director 4. P.
Goodrich expects the census machinery
will resume operations.
Unequal distribution of the 5000. 600
blanks, which were thought TO be suf-
fieient TO enroll all of the city's men
and women between the ages Of six
teen and fifty, and an unaccountsble
disappearance of thousands of them
were the causes Of the sudden stopping
OF the war inventory.
One million and a half blanks each
for men and women had been hurriedly
distributed from storehouse at ~
East Thirteenth Street before the CEN
sus taking was begun on Monday, but
according to Mr.. Goodrich 1t was i'm
possible with 10000 inexperienced VOL
unteer enumerators TO get the blanks
placed proportionately.
Blanks Carried Away
Great quantities of blanks were sent
where only a few were needed, while
thickly populated districts soon ex-
hausted their inadequate supply. An
attempt to shift the blanks disclosed
that some had been carried away by
unauthorized persons. 1t was found
that the supply intended for the entire
city was exhausted before one-fourth
of the census was taken.
This Gripping of the census taking
came while throngs of people still
crowded the registration stations. Tel
cphone calls were sent TO census head
quarters, PSI Broadway, for more sup
plies of blanks. THE people are clam
oring 10 be registered" said the reg
istrars. 1--WE haven't any more blanks.
Tell the people to go to the nearest
schoolhouse. Then close up" was the
reply. The troubled clerks turned out
the crowds. closed the doors and hung
up the sign:
STATE CENSUS REGISTRATION
CLOSED on ACCOUNT OF
LACK OF REGISTRATION BLANKS.
GO TO NEAREST SCHOOLHOUSE
AFTER P. NJ.
Brooklyn reported that more than 200
stations were closed. In The Bronx
forty-one closed, while on the East Side
of Manhattan and in many other sec
tons the proportion of those closed
was almost one out of every three.
Despite the delay, about zoe, 900 persons
registered yesterday. making total OF
100000 for the first three days. Mr..
Goodrich said the work would be COM
pleted by June 25 as fixed by law.
More VIII Be Forced to Close
"The trouble is only temporary" said
Mr.. Goodrich. More places probably
will be compelled to close, but ] am
sure by the end of the week we will be
in full force again. Registering 1000
persons with an inexperienced force in
three days is a good showing
Walter I. Willis, in charge OF the
census in Queens, said unless he re-
ceived better delivery, OF blanks he
would not be responsible for the result
As much confusion as ever existed az
County Clerk Schneider's office yester-
day over the demands OF men that they
be permitted TO record their claims for
exemption. All men between eighteen
and forty-five years receive red slip
which incidentally tells them that
claims of exemption must be made TO
the County Clerk. Clerks at the court
house continued to tell the applicants
that it was "all a mistake and that
they were not entitled 10 file any claim.
Almost a thousand men thronged the
corridors.
County clerks in the other boroughs
telephoned Mr.. Goodrich that they were
being similarly besieged.