The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-11-18
STATISTICS
GRE|A
VALUE
Worth Millions Annually, But
Some Manufacturers Fail
to Cooperate
nv ROBERT S. THOINBURGH,
Intsrnational News seF1ics.

nv ROBERT s. THOTNBURGH,
international News services.
Enactment Of q law to compel
producers of the United States to
furnish the Government accurate
information on business opera
lions was recommended BY Census
Director w. nj. Steuart today, in
bis annual report To Secretary
a. Commerce Hoover, incorporated
ID Hoover's report to the Pfesi-
dent.
Legislation directing the census
bureau ITO collect, compile and
publish statistics Of current pro-
duction, consumption. stocks, ship
ments, orders, receipts and sales
for commodities used and pro-
duced IN manufacturing, Is con
sidered vital by the director.
Data Worth Millions.
Steuart pointed out to the Inter.
national News Service that the sta.
tistical information on commerce III
sued monthly by the census bureau
ID worth millions Of dollars anru-
ANY to the business interests Of
the country.
Some big manufacturers refune
to furnish this data unless COM
PEELED to do so BY law steuart ex-
planned. s',rhe census. desiring to
issue b complete survey Of business.
believes the producers should be
required to make available to the
Government the required statistics 4
IN HIS report Steuart declared
tIlAt the legislation would aid In
! the collection Of data particularly
from the comparatively few man
ufacturers and others who are I'M.
willing or reluctant to supply the
information requested"
!. The survey Of current business is
now published under special aus
tEority granted by SECRETARY Hoover.
!, The census bureau cannot compel
producers to open their books Tor
the survey.
Mental Diseases Alarm.
Attention u was called to the
alarming increases" in the popu-
!. lation Of institutions for the metatal-
" diseased, feeble-minded and
epileptics.
1T emphasizes, Steuart said,
"the importance of exact data con-
corning the elements OF the popu-
lation committed to institutions for
persons of diseased or defective
nlefltalities, the causes and char
acter Of their disease and the possi.
ebility of prevention or cure"
Based on Steuart's figures there
are approximately 350,00O persons
In institutions or this Character.
The increase between 1910 and 1924
was about SIS per cent, while the
rate OF growth OF the country'e
population in the same period waa
about 20 per cent.
Steuart recommended a Law
providing for the grading and
Of the Government"
. i!
TOR information ais to the several
!. grades Of cotton held. In the United
States" Steuart continued. 1T is
impossible under present conditions
to secure reliable data Of this
character, since much OF the cotton
IL not accurately graded until Il
reaches the more important cotton
markets or concentration points.
Power Lies in Congress.
Since practically ali the cotton
produced In the United States en-.
tiers into either interstate or for.
eign commerce, 1t Ii within the
power of Congress to enact legis.
lation requiring that cotton be
graded and stapled under Govern.
ment regulations at central grading
points.
"The Government could provide
the necessary personnel and facili'
ties, but the cost Of grading, which
would amount to 80 or 40 cents
a bale, should be paid by the
owner OF the cotton.
with uniform grading thus pro
vided for 1t would b. possible to
obtain from the grading stations
the number Of bales OF the several
classes graded and from consumers
and exporters the number OF bales
Of the several grades consumed on
exported"
Steuart asked the repeal Of 4 law
( providing Tor publication or stalls
tics OF raw and prepared cotton
and linters, cotton waste and hui
fiber consumed in the manufacture
OF guncotton and explosives and Of
absorbent and nnedicated cotton
Necessity for this wartime regula,
ton has passed. he aaid. IN