Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-25
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT Is DOING

the public schools can provide teachers.
Illiterate workers are expensive work.
ers. There seems to be no more eff
fective. practical and economical way
Of meeting the problem. the experts
than BY means Of the workers' public
school day class. BY its adoption much
needless industrial inefficiency and So
ella! waste may rapidly be eliminated.
thirds Of all il1iterates are country
jewellers: the percentage Of illiteracy
In country districts is nearly twice
that in the cities: but the decrease in
illiteracy in rural communities and
1910. was found to be more marked
than in cities. because large numbers
Of illiterate foreign born have settled
in the cities. where work Is obtainable
Immediately after landing.
Illiteracy bears Immediately upon
many national problems. The govern
ment of the United States is a gov
eminent by representation. and Its in
easy transfer OF thought and informa-
ton from one person to another by the
printed page. Therefore any material
increase in the number Of those who
cannot read affects quality of citizen
sentative basis Of government, In an
illiterate community the sense Of civic
responsibility is at its lowest, and dis
ease, social isolation. and industrial in
efficiency are found in the highest de-
gree.
The experts point out that the i'm
mediate effect of the European war
has been to cut off immigration al
most wholly. and the problem of meet
seem temporarily to be in allegiance:
but immigration has always been
greatly stimulated. they point out. by
prosperity Of industry in this country.
any period Of stagnation and dis
couragement which may occur as a
reaction abroad after the war. like that
in the south after the civil war. rela-
tive to prosperity in the United States
will attract greater numbers than ever.
The bureaus Of the government en-
gagged in scientific and technical work
are necessarily dependent
Standards upon standards of meas
urement of every variety.
oueau' In addition. many of them
are engaged in the design. construc-
ton and specification of a great variety
of special apparatus, in which the prin-
ciples of mechanics. heat, optics. cleo
tricity and chemistry are involved, and
are vital to their efficiency and success
full operation. In such matters as these
the bureau of standards is of the great
est help. being freely consulted by all
of the governmental agencies.
The engineering and building con-
struction in progress at all times by
the government is exceedingly great
both in variety and magnitude; in all
of 1t a knowledge of the materials en-
~ 10 knl
from the standpoints of economy, eff
cheney and safety. The work of testing
and Investigating the properties OF
structural materials was taken UP by
the bureau, and Is carried on primar-
lily for the purpose Of securing the in
service in it's structural work. This in
formation is as necessary to the public
as construction work, and every effort
Is made by the bureau. say its officials
to make its findings in a form available
to the public generally. The demands
for information of this sort, 1t is said
have come from practically all of the
government bureaus and establish
ments.
The bureau of standards serves as a
testing bureau for the various depart.
ments of the government when called
upon. and as such Is assisting to place
the government purchases upon an
economical and businesslike basis. The
example of the government in such
matters has far greater influence
posed. 1t Is felt by officials of this Blu.
reau that the government can be OF
no greater service to the country than
to place Its own purchases upon a basis
which may be taken as a standard by
the public at large. This work involves
the specification Of a wide range OF
miscellaneous materials and their test
ing, when delivered, to ascertain
whether or not they comply with the
specifications. This Is especially impor-
ed by means of competitive bids, q
method resulting in much fraud and in
Justice unless suitable standards are
established and successful bidders held
responsible absolutely to this stand
ard in making deliveries. Furthermore,
1t is said that most purchasing Officers
are realizing the Importance OF having
such testing done by disinterested in
stitution equipped with the scientific
and other facilities for performing the
service in a manner that is fair to both
parties concerned In the purchases.
Many bureaus of the government
service are charged with the adminis-
tration of laws and the establishment
of regulations in which scientific data
are vital. This Is true to much great
er extent than is generally supposed.
The bureau of standards co-operates
freely with such branches of the gov
eminent and the service rendered in
wolves every department of physics and
chemistry covered by the bureaus
activities. The neglect of such mat
tiers in the past has been a frequent
source of misunderstanding and litiga-
ton between the government service
and the public.
The raising Of rabbits for their fur
alone Is not and could not be made
profitable with any breed that
Rabbit is now known to experts OF
the Department of Agricul-
Eur. ture. 1t is stated by officials
Of the department that owing to the
Increased use of fur, many letters OF
inquiry have been reaching the depart
ment on this question.
The subject has been gone into with
considerable care 1t is understood and
the experts do not think that rabbit
raising for the fur alone would pay.
but they have Informed the inauirers
that it will pay to save the pelts OF
rabbits killed for food.
In connection with the Department.
investigation into this subject some in
teresting facts were brought to light.
For instance. it was found that more
skins of rabbits are collected and sold
annually than Of all other fur animals
combined. Before the present war it
is said that Great Britain alone i'm
n