Evening star., 1920-01-09
WOMEN RET|CENT
IMAGE QUESTION
Census Enumerators Report
Difficulty in Obtaining Cor
rect Information.

Washington women are not inclined
to falsify-but they are reticent at
times about their age, and sometimes,
perhaps. distort the truth just a
little bit.
Enumerators for the 1920 decennial
census have informed Robert E. Mat
tingly, supervisor for the District,
that one of the hardest things to
get, and get correctly, is the age of
a woman more than thirty-five.
Particularly is this true where
the women have no children" an emu
merator said today. but the fact is
that several times 1 have enumerated
women whom l know and they have
given ages I am sure were several
years below the right mark.
No Reason for Refusal.
There is no reason for falsifying
ages. because for census purposes no
returns, nor will the enumeration
results ever get out in any other
way than through the directors office.
Yet several times / have found women
who deliberately told me they were
several years below their real age,
and on several occasions women have
refused to answer the age question
until I showed them my authority to
obtain the information"
Another enumerator yesterday
walked into a house and found a
member of the police force eating
his lunch. This man insisted that he
did not want to be enumerated and
the house until shown the authority
of the enumerator's commission and
told he was liable to prosecution If
he did not give the answers. He gave
them.
Progress in Enumeration.
More than a dozen census districts
have already completed, Mr. Mattingly
announced today. He said that although
he expected the entire period up to
January 16 would be taken in making
the enumeration here and correcting
and checking up, the actual enumera-
ton would be finished by next Wednes-
day.
We wish Washington to uphold it's
record in past consuses, when it has
ures." Mr. Mattingly said today, but
we will not abandon the need for an
exact and complete census in favor of
speed in getting out returns. The CEN
sus must first be complete and correct,
and speed will follow. We hope and be-
lieve Washington will be the first city
in, but will be sure of our facts first
According to Director Rogers. Wash
ington has been the first city to make
final census returns for the past two
censuses. If the returns from Wash
ington are turned in among the first a
preliminary estimate of population in
the District will be available about Feb
ruary Is, Mr.. Rogers said.
Prepared for n "Dry" Day.
At least one former bartender in
Washington is not worried about the
loss of his vocation. An enumerator
entered a home today and asked the
vocation of the head of the house.
The man said: II was a bartender
and am now out of a job, but 1
don't believe I am going to worry,
for the days when liquor was present
provided me with enough money to
forestall poverty"
The first case of a census impostor
came to the attention of Sam L. Ro-
gers, director of the census. today. and
as a result the man who attempted
to pose as a census enumerator for
fraudulent purposes is now in jail
awaiting prosecution by the United
States. The census supervisor of
Lawrence, Mass, advised Mr. Rogers
by telegram last night that a man
in Lawrence was entering homes pos
ing as an enumerator who had also
come to collect taxes. Mr.. Rogers
wired the United States district at
torney at Lawrence. who arrested the
man.