Arizona republican., 1920-01-11
MANY TROUBLES
LIE IN WAIT FOR
CENSUS TAKERS
Some Women Appear In
suited When Personal
Questions Are Asked and
Others Refuse to Tell a
Single Thing

Taking the census here isn't ex-
actly what you would call an easy
job declared one census enumeration
yesterday.
The census taking task in Phoenix
is more than half completed, and VIII
be finished by next Saturday when the
TWO weeks allowed for taking the
census in incorporated towns and cities
is up. Meanwhile, the census enumera
tors are working along steadily and
even cheerfully-but most of them viii
admit there is nothing soft about this
job of Uncle Sans.
Yesterday afternoon the IL enumera
tors, most of them women, who are
covering Phoenix itself finished their
ninth day of work, and by quitting
time next Saturday the work in the
city will be completed. In this dis
tfict, one of two in Arizona, embrace
ing the six northern and one north
western counties, the work of taking
the census will go until the end
of the month, outside of the incor-
porated cities 1t will be several
months yet before the first unofficial
returns are made public, and many
more before final tabulations are done.
Won't Tell Her Age
Many are the worries of the census
enumerator in Arizona, and those in
Phoenix have had their troubles too.
All manner of complications have been
ton counters. though thus far few flat
refusals TO give information have been
given by Phoenix residents, and these
refuSa1s were finally Smoothed away
and the required information given.
One of the troubles most often found
in days work, according 10 one
enumera tor. is the woman who be-
comes suspicious of every question. and
often is downright insulted when the
question has to do with her own age.
Another is the farmer who dislikes to
give the census man or woman infor-
nation about his farm-cost, produce
ton, expenses, ct cetera-
The main thing needed. though. to
simplify the enormous task of taking
the census, enumerators agree. is a
business-like cooperation by the pub
lie in general. That is to say ready
answers for the questions. courtesy. a
spirit of helpfulness. and a common
sense realization that not a particle of
the information given the census man
or woman will ever be thought of again
in connection with the giver.
Answers Are Secrets
What do you want to know now
how old I'll be when 1 die and where
j so after die?" demanded one irate
lady after she had reluctantly yielded
up the secret of her age to the census
enumeration The census man wasted
some valuable time explaining 10 her
that the information given was for
statistical purposes only and would
never be remembered as coming from
an individual. The woman didn't stop
10 think that her answers to the
enumerator's questions We're secrets
between her and Uncle sam.
In this connection it should be en-
phasiZed. since thousa nds of people
have to have il explicitly pointed out
10 them. that all information given
census enumeration stops with him and
all individuals are speedily forgotten.
When the returns are tabulated names
have long since been left behind. and
the information merely is used for
statistics about the United States. Per-
sons are urged by the government to
give the census takers correct an
swers to the questions. as the informa-
ton is confidential and cannot be
otherwise.
In the rural districts some OF the
enumerators have had to get statis-
teal agricultural information under
difficulties from ranchers who dislike
TO tell their profits. expenses. produc-
tion and the like. This informa ton.
il may be again pointed out. is con-
fidential. and there is no ground for
hesitency in giving it.
Call Many Times
One of the main troubles met by the
census enumerators is the difficulty of
catching people at home. Whenever
no answer meets the census takers
knock on the door. the enumerator is
forced TO come again until he or she
finds some one at home.
Some trouble has also been en-
countered in the way of people who
persist in believing that the city direc-
tory name takers who canvassed the
city some weeks ago We're taking the
census, and accordingly have to be
fad n q 1fr-.ar