Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-21
TRUTH IS DEMANDED
FOR CENSUS OF 1920
Willful Deceit of Enumerators Punishable
by Fine of $1OO-Varied Data
to Be Recorded.

visit every home or other dwelling
place. such as hotel. boarding house,
etc. and must obtain the information
desired from the head of each family
or other person qualified to give it.
There are some changes in the new
census law as compared to that un-
der which the last census was taken.
The collection of data on incum-
brances or mortgages on homes is
new. But inquiry regarding unem-
ployment. attempted at the last CEN
sus. has been abandoned. because the
returns ten years ago were neither
full nor correct. Another inquiry
which has been omitted in the new
census is that regarding survivors Of
the Union and Confederate armies
The data taken in the last census re-
garding these survivors was found TO
be SO incomplete that it was not tabu-
lated.
keenest Interest in Census.
The keenest interest attaches to the
census of population and what it may
show. The development of the coun-
try as to population OF cities. the
away, the immigration and its char
acter, the amount of illiteracy in the
country, the number of aliens i'm the
country, all will be watched CLOSELY.
Boosters" for various cities are
waiting eagerly for the census figures
to give an additional flip to their
arguments which manufactures and
other Industries should come to their
towns. But the boosters" who at
tempt to pad the population figures
mad better beware. They Will be IL
able to serious punishment, fines not
exceeding $1,000.
1t is predicted that the coming CEN
sus will show population of be-
tween 105.000.Oo0 and 10000. Oe0 in
continental United States In fact,
the census bureau has from time TO
time figured out the estimated popu-
lation, the latest estimate being for
July l, 1919, showing that the esti-
mated population was lO6.S7l.2si.
These estimates are made upon per-
centages of increase for various
places in the past. They necessarily
must be incorrect in many places for
one reason or another. For instance,
due to war conditions the population
of the District of Columbia. set down
in the estimates of the census bu-
reau as 379.SS6, is considerably more
| than the estimate. Owing to the war,
too. it is expected that the figures for
immigration will be much less than
in the previous census.
Covers Wide Field.
In the recent censuses the proper
zion of married persons has shown a
constant increase, and il is likely to
do SO in the coming census, il is said.
though the abnormal conditions in the
last few years may upset this predic-
ton.
Along with the census of population
will go census of agriculture. manu-
features. forestry and forest prod
ucts and mines and quarries. Supple
menting the statistics which will be
obtained as to population, these CEN
suses are expected to show the
growth of the country during the last
ten years.
After all the data has been collected
by the enumerators and sent to
Washington by the supervisors. then
the huge task of tabulating all the
matter obtained will begin. This is
mainly mechanical task and will be
done on machines. The facts are
punched" on millions of cards by
the machines by operators here. The
machines. which have been perfected
in the bureaus mechanical labora-
tory, viii be located in one of the
war temporary buildings at Missouri
avenue and Il street