New-York tribune., 1920-06-10
Police May Check
Figures on Census

Mayor Hylan appointed a committee
yesterday to confer with DR.. Frank j.
Monaghan, Acting Health Commits
sloner as chairman, for the purpose of
making a study of the census figures
for New York City. The other men,
bers of the committee are the Police
Commissioner, Tenement House Com
missioner, President of the Board of
Education, Fire Commissioner and the
Commissioner of Public Welfare 1t is
understood a plan will be devised
the figures in the various districts
throughout the city. DR.. Monaghan
announced the committee would hold
its first meeting to-day
In statement issued by the National
Civil Service Reform League yesterday
the contention was made that the CEN
sus was taken by political appontees
and persons totally untitled for the
work. The responsibility for the mac
curate enumeration rests squarely upon
the shoulders of Congress, the league
said, in failing to place the census en-
ployees under the civil service.
Predict Inaccurate Count
The report of the census enumera-
tors of New York City to the effect
that the population Of the city is a
little over five and one-half millions
has caused an avalanche of criticism
from the business men of the city," tho
League statement declared. "The situa-
tion is evidence Of the soundness of
the prediction made by the National
Civil Service Reform League in 1913
and early in 1919, when the censue bill
was being ground out in the legislative
mill in Washington that unless all ap-
pointments were made out in accord
ance with the civil service law the
census would be inaccurately taken.
An unsuccessful attempt was made in
the Senate to include the four hun
dred supervisors under the provisions
of the merit system. These four hun
dred supervisors were charged with
the selection of some $4,000 enumer-
ators.
"The league in its protest to Con-
gress pointed to the disastrous ex-
perience of 1890 and 1900, when the
census was taken by political ap-
polntees and persons who were totally
untitled for the work, and warned the
members of Congress of just such work
as has been done in New York City.
The responsibility for the inaccurate
enurleration rests squarely upon the
shoulders Of Congress and the Director
of the Census"
Federal Figures Called Correct
Stewart Browne, president of the
United Real Estate Owners Associa-
tion, replying yesterday to those who
contended he was wrong in claiming
that the population of Manhattan is
100000, and of the city over 100000,
gave ten reasons for his belief.
Walter Laidlaw, secretary Of the
New York City 1920 census committed
of the New York Federation of
Churches, said yesterday that "Ncw
York will be ultimately Obliged to ac-
cept the unwelcome figures of the
1920 census as substantially correct"
Mr.. Laidlaw said the acid test for the
census of New York is the percentage
of the nations population credited to
New York City. While nobody vet
knows the official population of the
United States as of January 1, 1920, Mr..
Laidlaw said it would probably be about
1oS,ooo,ooo, and on this basis the per-
centage credited to New York, com
pared with other census years, would
make the Federal census figures about
right.
Ernest P Goodrich, formerly di-
rector Of the state military census,
also contended that the Federal figures
giving the city 5,621,151 population
we're correct. Mr.. Goodrich produced
estimates in support Of his statement.
He based these estimates on the mill
tary census, which was taken with
great care, he said. The number who
registered under the military census,
which was completed in July 1917
were 3,277,366, and close estimate at
that time gave the population Of tho
city as 5,462,277.