New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-02

reiatlhg TO detail in every country, we
hope to be able to make available to
American firms in order that foreign
commerce may be two sided"
Bureau To Make
Statistics Speak lntelligentlv
The bureau speaks to men of indus
try IN the language of statistics. and il
is now planning to modify its tongue.
The bureau is working out nothing less
than revolution in its statistical
method. Commerce and Navigation of
the United States" and the "Monthlv
Summary Of Foreign and Domestic
commerce. Will soon appear in their
new form Instead of merely giving
the statistical tabulations as at pres
ent' the bureau has assigned experts
10 the task of interpreting them. of ex
| planning their specific relation TO in
dlvldual industries. Conclusions that
may lead to the actual EXCHANGE If
commodities will be drawn in tho nou
poo'caaons from the raw, undigested
statistics, which, it is planned. will
take on new meaning. Discussions
VIII accompany the compilations. and
the aim will be to make tho date :,
'eiilglble to manufacturers and ex-
porters throughout the country no+
merely to university professors ~
statistics
heretofore in sense the h,ra
an as so'"s us own way and business
another. The plan is now to RreaL
oo"n any suggestion of barriers snd
organlcaiiy to join the statistics-gath-
erlhg force with the throbbing encines
OF production and distribution. The
bureau IN the future plans to gather
material exclusively for use and nre-
sent 1t IN such form that it can he
employed every day as part of the
workable equipment of traders
III have contributed anything to
'he bureau since I came here, in June
1915 Mr.. Cutler said, after outln;rs
'he changes that were being made, at
Is the idea that everything we do mnst
- " oeHHite tIa0e purpose.
ne bureau is going to try to be much
less arbitrary and be more than before
an actual, working part of the CONNER
ciai machinery of the country.
I'm determining what business mon
heeo TO know we are helped by letters
and personal visits from representa-
tive persons. We are seeking to grow
along lines of service for which q de-
mand has been demonstrated bv in
quirles to us. Many private corpora-
tlons and firms are so interested in
our work that they regularly contrib
ute trade information gathered bv
their own staff to US for general dis
semlnation. Our chief sources of in.
iormaton' OF course, are our agents
abroad and the men in the consular
service, who submit reports to us repu-
iarly. although they are sent out under
the direction of the Department Of
State. We have eleven commercial
attaches watching out faithfully for
American economic interests in the
principal commercial nations, and the
appointment of four more has lust
been authorized. We have twenty
eight travelling trade commissioners
who specialize in particular industries
rather than on countries, and we hope
to have fifty by the end Of the wear.
We are helped greatly by the CON
tributlon out of the Presidents spe.
cial fund of 100000 for the promotion
of foreign trade
'In expanding our staff our CHIEF
problem is finding authorities in spe-
cial fields who are willing to work at
The low salary offered. Private cor
porations often make important off
Gals in their organizations of our
agents, and offer them handsome sal
aries, with which we are in no posi-
lion to compete. The bureau at Wash
ington and at it's branches in the large
cities employs 113 men, and needs 200
. Congress is allowing US to bring ur
the force to 1853. The bureau last wear
cost about s550,oO0, and we have asked
s1,500000 for the next fiscal year. The
House committee favors giving us
se30,0Oo'