Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-21

factories are canvassed every two years
and the advisory committee for that
branch of the census has recommended
that the returns hereafter be made an
nually. The biennial census of manu-
features, however, have been somewhat
less elaborate than those formerly taken
at longer intervals. In order to make
the figures for 1880, the end of the
decade, comparable for the understand
ing of long-term trends in factory in
dustry. the schedules have been made
more elaborate, following In general the
lines of those used in 1920, while at the
same time including all the many spe-
cial inquiries regarding quantity and
value of product which have been added
to the queStionnaires during recent
years.
Most Comprehensive Census.
The idea is that we need to know the
current facts about production of our
factories at frequent intervals, because
quantity and value of products often
change rapidly and not always in the
same direction. But also, from time to
time, the business man must take a
longer view. He must consider those
aspects Of industry which change more
gradually, but which in the course of
time do change very materially, and
which usually take the same direction of
movement over long periods. The pres
ent census of manufacturers will, there
fore, be the most comprehensive ever
taken. The committee of business men
and statisticians which co-operated in
the framing Of the schedules has aired,
without an undue burden on the factory
manager, to bring out the basic facts
which American business wishes to
know.
The new census of distribution is be-
ing undertaken at the insistent demand
not only OF the merchants of the coun-
try, but Of the manufacturers, the bank
ers snld the business men in general.
moreover, there was strong demand
Tor such census on the part of con-
sumers, who believe that it will con-
tribute In some measure to increase the
efficiency of distribution processes and
TO narrow the spread between the price
received by the producer and the price
paid by the final user of commodities.
In country of high standards of liv-
ing like the United States the marketing
OF goods Is an extremely complex pro-
cess. It involves two or three millions
Of establishments, q vast personnel, and
a turnover Of tens Of billions of dollars,
divided among thousands of classes of
commodities. The task of framing
proper schedules Of questions for the
various classes of wholesale and retail
establishments has bristled with diff
culties, and the proper analysis of the
results will be equally difficult. The
Government must call with special en-
phasis for the cooperation of every
merchant in furnishing prompt and
accurate returns. The manufacturers
throughout the long history of the CEN
suses of factory industries have learned
that these periodical reports are of very
great value to them as well as to the
general public. Similarly our distribu-
tors, large and small, wholesale and re-
tau alike, will find a satisfactory census
OF distribution Of the utmost advantage
to them as well as to all other classes
OF the population.
People Must Cooperate.
In all the fields covered by this great
national stock taking-population, agri-
culture, mining and manufacturers and
dlStribution-the census schedules for
1880 are better than ever before. In all
these fields the Department of Com
merce Is planning to analyze the results
In a more useful manner than ever be-
fore. But the success of this under
taking depends not alone on the De-
partment OF Commerce nor on the COM
mttteeS which have come to its aid; it
depends primarily on the great masses
OF the people themselves. without
their loyal cooperation it is impossible
to obtain correct returns or to obtain
them promptly. Every family, every
farmer, every factory manager or mine
operator, every dealer rests under OBJ
legation to himself and to his fellow
citizens In this matter. The Govern