The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-12
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
Blu REAU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Director.
Washington. D. G.
WAR AND FOURTEENTH CENSUS
Washington. D. C.

WAR AND FOURTEENTH CENSUS.
| Washington, D. c., Oct. s.-"Why
should we spend twenty million dollars
at this critical period just to take
census?''
| When the appropriation bill for the
fourteenth census was brought up in
the house of representatives recently,
this question reached congressman
from many sections of the country.
| The answer is that war has shown the
ldecennial inventory of the nations re-
sources in men and wealth to be an
absolute necessity.
The census was provided for in the
constitution to determine how the rep
Iresentatives in congress should be ap-
portioned, and the first census was
taken for this purpose alone. But as
the value of national statistics became
more apparent, its scope was w1dened
Ito include agriculture, manufactures
forestry and forest products, MINES
and quarries. In 1890 when the first
national survey of population. was tax
en- the area to be covered was only
about one-fourth of the present Unit
ed States. Altho nine months was the
| time allowed enumerations to make
their returns eighteen months elapsed
before they were completed. the Dill
for the fourteenth census allows the
lenumerators in the urban districts Two
weeks to gather the reports and those
lin the rural districts are allowed one
month.
The 1920 census will be4taken along
| the same lines as the last, and VIII
| cover practically the same ground.
The director of the census now Eas
4 an office force of about 40O, Dut ior
the decennial census period he expects
to need in the neighborhood OF 4,O0o.
These clerks will be obtained by a
civil service examination or by trans
fer from other government depart
merts. If the war is over. the prob
lem of clerks may be solved by trans
ferring some of the best trained war
workers to the census bureau. If the
war is not over, it will be quite g.
problem to obtain these clerks. The
field work will require nearly 10O,-
900 workers. The law provides that
wherever possible, women and honor
ably discharged soldiers and sailors
are to be employed in these positions.
/ The date for the taking of the CEN
sus has been changed to January 1.
For many years the census was taken
for the calendar year preceding June
80, but as this seemed inconvenient
for the farmers, 1t was changed. The
thirteenth census was taken on April
lis. This also met with disapproval
from the agriculturists. October was
considered, but did not seem advis-
able on account of the elections, and
finally January l was decided on. 1t
is hoped that this will suit everyone.
The Alaskan census has always been
| taken in the winter as that is the best
time to travel in Alaska.
| More attention will be given to- man
I ufactures and agriculture in the COM
ing census. The war has brought home
to the government the necessity of
having complete inventory of these
two phases of national life. The value
of the census of manufactures taken
in 1915 is well known. 1t has served
the government as a. basis upon which
the maximum output of certain indus
tries could be estimated. 1t has also
helped the war industries board in its
} difficult task of deciding what indus
tries are essential for the nations well
fare at this time.
When the food administration un-
dertook to manage the food supply for
this country and the allies, the first
thing they looked for was late and
complete agricultural census. But
they looked in vain. The gentlemen
of congress in their endeavors to cut
ate the necessary funds for the agri-
cultural census which should have
been taken in 1915. Had this census
been taken much valuable time and
money would have been saved last
winter. THE lesson has been learned
and the present census bill contains
provisions for a census OF agriculture
in 1925. 1t also provides for several
reports on the manufacturing indus
tries to be taken in 1928, 1925 and
1927.
Every census so far has shown a
higher percentage increase in popula-
ton. But this will not hold true in
1920. The bureau of the census has
estimated that the population of the
, United States in 1920 will be about
ITO, 100000. This means an increase
, of 17.2 per cent in the last ten years
as against an increase of FL per cent
in the preceding ten years. The main
+ reason for this is the cessation of i'm
probably will have very little effect on
the population But the war will at
feet our population thru a markedly
, decreased birth rate.
The immigration reports will be a
surprise to most people. It is popu-
larly supposed that immigration has
, ceased. The reports now being sent
. into the immigration bureau of the la
Dor department show that ifnmigra-
) ton has greatly increased everywhere
r except at the Atlantic ports. The
greatest number of immigrants have
always entered thru the eastern ports
and the statistics from these entrance
points will be almost negligible from
1915 to 1920, compared with those
for previous years. Figures for the
southern and Pacific ports will show
an astonishing change. The number
of Mexican immigrants has doubled
: in the last two years; South American
Immigration has increased; Spain and
l. Scandinavia are also sending more
r men than usual.
Il The last census showed that of the
81 great number of aliens in this country
surprisingly small proportion had
: taken out citizenship papers. This
3 was due chiefly to ignorance and in
difference. Here again the coming
census will register an important
change. The war has taught the for
eign-born the disadvantage OF alien
: age and the advantages of citizenship.
= Consequently there has been a great
rush for first papers" Before 1920
most of these aliens will be eligible for
] final papers. The naturalization of
civilian aliens, however, will appear