Evening star., 1919-12-09
BALANCE Of TRADE
| NEARLY BILLIONS
FOR RU.S. IN YEAR
Never Approached Before,
Says Secretary RedfieId,
in Annual Report.

pcti SAIOitS ilu IInDOTtS. lOldliIr 80
074,011,529 and imports $3.095, ,S76.5S2
Exports to Europe aggregated $4,634,-
S16.S41; to North America. $l,c9l 332.-
342: to Asia, 03924,54S and to South
America, s4Oo,9O1,6O1.
World Tonnage at Peak.
Notwithsta nding war losses, the mer
chant tonnage of the world is larger
report said, total tonnage being 30
$4,000 gross compared with 49.OS9,000
n IN 1914. Net gain in steam tonnage 10"
the world was placed at 100000 gross
tons. while that of the United States VIZ
100000 gross tons. Merchant tonnage
now under construction is more than
double the pre-war output
The annual output of our ship
yards. the report said, exceeds the
greatest annual output of the world (
shipyards before 1914. Steel ship-
building plants have been extended
o: established with new machiner!
methodist housing and transit accom-
modations equal and in some respects
superior to those abroad. American
tonnage clearing in overseas trade in
the fiscal year 1919 was six times
greater than in 1914"
Recommendation Made.
Recommendations of Importance
which Mr.. Redfield makes tn his :e-
port include appointment of an ad-
ditional assistant secretary OF com
~
to house all the services of the de-
partment; a building at the bureau
of standards for suitable power
plant; provisions of funds to continuc
the work of the lighthouse services
and a laboratory aquarium for the
bureau of fisheries. Mr.. Redheld ais"
recommends that immediate steps be
taken to provide for another cable
under American control to the far
east. He points out that the United
tot at 6jSadVantaCe without
this additional cable in doing business
with the orient as compared with
other countries.
Home for Census Burea-.
THE bureau of the census will be
housed during the census PERIOD
which began on July l. 1919. in build
ling D., at Az street and Missouri
iavenue." The report says:
THE offices of the director OF the
division of manufactures and of those
portions of the service which are not
specifically engaged upon the decen-
NAL census remain in the Commerce
building. The other branches have al
ready been transferred to the new
quarters and the force therein is be-
iEg rapidly enlarged to cope with the
work of the coming census. A clerical
force of about 1900 maximum will be
employed in Washington on this
work and a great deal of space will
be required for the many machines
that will be used in tabulatinS the
results of the census. and for stor-
age for the millions of schedules
containing the data gathered by the
field force and the 800, 100000 or more
cards which will be used in tabulat
ing the-population and agricultural
statistics
1921 Estimate. 35 Millions.
Estimates of the department for the
fiscal year 1921 aggregate s55.S1s.-
O6S.4O and exceed the appropriations
for the fiscal year 1920 amounting
Secretary says.
Increases of salaries for employees in
the District of Columbia are not in
cluded in the recommendations of the
department, Mr.. Redfield points out,
because the matter is under con-
sideration by the joint committee on
reclassification Of salaries, and re-
quest will be made in the book of
these salaries be adjusted in accord
ance with such recomm mendations Of
the commission as received the ap-
proval of Congress. Mr.. Redfield asks
creased salaries as may be made by
the reclassification commission be
considered in connection with the
estimates of the department.
1.-The estimates include an item for
the fourteenth decennial census.
amounting to $6.215.000." Mr.. Redfield
says.
':The estimate is submitted in this
form in view Of the fact that it is i'm
possible to apportion, with any ap-
proach to accuracy, the cost of the
work during the second year of the
decennial census period.
AS the legislative. executive and
| judicial act, approved March /, 1919.
carries an appropriation of $4,000, 900
/ for fourteenth census work, this will
make a total of s21,215.0oO required
for the fourteenth decennial census
,perod.
Fourteenth Census Estimate.
The total amount requested in last
census period was $20.5O0.000. or
S715.0OO less than the total amount
now estimated. This is accounted for
as follows:
For Employees in ID. G.
The increase for the bureau of for
eign and domestic commerce is $747,-
91O, of which S117,41O is for salaries
for additional employees in Washing
ton to enable the bureau to keep
abreast of the ever-increasing work
and $4,000 additional is needed for
the field service in this country and
abroad. Sixty-nine thousand dollars
| is required for the development of
trade by motion pictures. and $151.5OO
is asked for post allowances for men
! in foreign service, for transporting
| their families. and for bringing home
jthe remains of such as may die abroad.
The war added many new investiga-
tionS to the bureau of standards, the
cost of which during the war was borne
by other departments and the Presi-
dents fund. and approximately 1000.
900 additional is required to enable the
bureau to pursue these investigations,
which will result in great benefit to the
government and general public in peace
times.
Calls Entrance Salary Too Low.
Mr.. Redfield recommends that the
present 5000 entrance salary for clerks
should be abolished. Even with the
bonus.' he says. ''it is not sufficient to
secure experienced clerks. notably ste
nographers and typists. who can readily
obtain from 81 200 to $1,000 per annum
elsewhere. The entrance compenSa ton
for clerks should be at least $1,000 per
annum. which is not more than is paid
in many places for common labor"
The former Secretary points out how
the small salaries paid in the scientific
branches of the department, notably the
bureau of dards. work hardships on
the men who, out of loyalty, remain
at poorly paid government posts, and
recommends increases In the salaries Of
the field force of the bureau of fisheries,
employees of the bureau Of naviga ton,
the bureau of foreign and domestic COM
merce and the coast and geodetic sur
vey.
vryAn DYcv nrnnnn Acr/Cn