The evening world., 1917-06-13
RED TAPE ANDLACK
OF SUPPLIES HOLD
BACK WAR CENSUS
Volunteer Force of Enumer-
ators on Verge of ExhauS-
tion--70O,OOO Enrolled.

The unexpected rush to enroll In the
state military census has Resulted in
intermlnable delays. Irritation, squab-
bling and the wearlness almost to
nervous exhaustion Of the 10000 vol
unteer unpaid workers.
In spite OF all the dlhiculties inn
posed on unframed and not always
capable enrolling agents. the total en-
rolment up to 10 o'clock last night
was estimated at 100000. Thousands
more applied for registration yester-
day and were turned away for lack
OF blanks or quit in disgust when they
found themselves obliged to wait in
line for hours.
Appeals to the organization in
charge OF the work to lessen the
hardships OF those capable OF max
ing out their own blanks and sub
mitting them were met with the
assertion;
Albany does not want us to do
It that way"
albany" is very busy with making
regulations" as is apparent to any
observer who walks through the Of
fees at No. 2si Broadway, the ware
house for stationery at No. ~ East
Thirteenth Street and the compila-
tion headquarters for the entire state @
at No. ~ Lafayette Street. One who
looks over the assortment OF forms
for tabulation by Assembly districts.
by ages, by alphabetical order and
by occupations cannot but wonder
how the census is TO be completed
in three months. az the efficiency ex-
perts say 1t will be. Even the eH-
perts are not aggresslvely positive.
one particular blank calls for the
use OF slxty-elght wide measure
bookkeeping typewriters running six
teen hours day. The typewriter
companies simply looked amused
when asked how these machines
were TO be obtained within ten DAYS
There are from twenty to fifty
touring cars and trucks put at tho
service OF the warehouse organization
eaoh day. But II Is not service
altogether reliable. A series OF calls
came yesterday from an agent In the
Woolworth Building. lie wanted n
lot OF notices OF liability to militia
service for distribution to enrolment
offices in his district. The motor
truck driver took tho big bundle with
d grin. In the evening he was back
at the storehouse, still grinnlng.
Sorry boss" he said. But the
place where you sent me with these
was locked up all day. There wasn't
a soul home and the door was locked.
Guess they musta' been away to a
funeral or something"
And no had dumped his bundle and
was gone before the name OF his be-
neficent employer could be asked.
In one drug store on the upper east
side in which provision had been
made for 800 enrolments 10000 per-
sons were registered. The trade Of
| the store was put out OF business.
Extra clerks were sent TO the store In
droves. All the nAghboring enroll
ment stations were robbed OF blanks.
! But nevertheless there were long and
| cNasperating delays.
Two days experience has shown
| that school houses are not popular as
census bureaus. Blanks and clerks
| have been largely Withdrawn from
! lUtlu anu sent 10 OlneT bldlOns bul
| there were enough blanks on hand at
the warehouse to-day to supply all
needs without further transfers OF
supplies between stations.
notwithstanding the optimism al
headquarters Supervisor John Crelgh-
ton In Brooklyn announced he would
shut down $50 OF his 200 stations this
afternoon II more supplies we're not
received. When tho offices In Brook
| lyn's most crowded district, In and
| about Brownsville, opened to-day
| they had but 200 blanks for sixteen
stations: these lasted Ave minutes
| Mr. Creighton complained also that
the automobiles which we're promised
| for two weeks have diminished In
number 50 that there was none al
his headquarters to-day and he had
| heard OF but one or two In the whole
! borough.