Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-12
PROMPT RETURNS
IN CENSUS ORDERED
Population Statistics to Be
Reported by Each District
Upon Completion.
py the Associated Press.

Py the Associated Press.
Population statistics of the 1880 de-
cennial census will be announced pub
licly in each of 500 districts immediate
ly after they are gathered, instead of
being tabulated first in Washington.
William M Steuart, director of the
census, explains that this procedure
would be followed for the first time
with the forthcoming census, in order
that inaccuracies may be detected be-
fore the figures are tabulated for the
permanent record.
At least 100000 enurnerators will be
needed to canvass the Nations homes
for the census, he says, and between
5000 and 5000 more will be employed
here later.
Woman EnumeratOrS Favored.
Selection of women for the jobs of
enumerators is favored by the directors
because they usually have a plentliu!
endowment of tact and are faithful
in attending to details.
Women have been employed in the
work for census of the past" he says,
land with great success.
Tact is especially necessary IN gain
ering personal, confidential facts 1or the
census"
Though applications for positions as
enumeratorS will be field with the Cen
sus Bureau here, supervisors IN the
500 districts into which the country
will be divided. will be responsible Tor
organization of the staff. The plan Is
to employ one enumerator Tor each
1000 estimated population.
qualification of the figures In the
districts" Director Steuart expects, VIII
also enable me to carry out the proVls-.
ion of the law of penalty on deliberate
inaccuracy. The supervisor will not De
paid for the work in his district until
after results of his staff have been pub
lished and opened to public comment
12SOOO,OOO Population Expected.
On the basis Of estimates of the av-
erage periodic increase in population OF
the country. it is believed that about
I23,OOO.000 individuals must be listed
for the new census.
An impression of the magnitude of
the bureaus task is conveyed by sum-
mary of work done on the last census.
At that time 25,000,000 separate forms
were distributed and filled out by the
canvassers The information was then
transmitted to file of cards by means
of punching holes in them-300, 100000
cards. Then, in correlating facts gath
cred, the cards were run through cleo
trical tabulating machines-the equiva-
lent of running 2,500,000,000 cards.
1.-The law provides that enumeration
must be completed within two months"
Director Steuart points out, but in the
past it has been necessary to extend
this time somewhat. The 5000 to 5000
persons who will be needed to tabulate
results here will be employed for from
one to three years"
First Volume Due in 1881.
The first volume published, recording
each individual separately and carrying
correlated figures on occupation and
other items, will appear some time dur
ing 1881. Other relationships shown by
the census-the increase in average
length of life, for instance, and the in
creaSes in marriages and divorces-will
be tabulated and published later. It
took IL volumes Of 1000 pages each to
contain the results of the last national
census.
Out of a literal barrage of requests
that various kinds of information be
obtained through census enumerators,
Director Steuart has selected only one
new item thus far. Census workers will
inquire for theft rst time whether each
person enumerated is veteran OF any
war, and of what war.
eve were asked to obtain all manner
of information even how many Ameri-
cans owned radios, and what kinds"
he says, but we naturally Sifted the
requests to eliminate all except essen
tial items"