Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-28
Secretly Lamont Declares Business
Of United States Will Cure Own Ills
Continued From Third Page.)

inventors the exclusive use of their
discoveries
The commerce of a country is the
business of supplying its people all the
material things they use. means OF
TRANSFORMATION. and in recent years
with many n-esSent,a's-called lux
uries. The most important OF all sta
tistics, therefore. are those that give the
number, location, and economic and
social characteristics of the population.
During the past year the department,
through the Bureau Of the Census, has
been busy collecting. recording, classify
ing, tabulating. and printing these fig
ures for the fifteenth time since the be-
ginning of the Nation. In addition. the
regular censuses of manufactures. agri-
culture, and mining have been taken,
as well as. for the first time, a census
of distribution of trade, and a census
Of unemployment.
Important among the branches of the
department, especially in these times OF
economic disorder, is the Bureau OF
Foreign and Domestic Commerce the
trade promotion arm of the department.
This bureau carries on its activit IS
through SO Offices in 43 foreign coun-
tries and "a regional Offices in the
United States. all supervised from the
Washington headquarters, with its nu-
merous commodity and technical dlvi-
SionS.
This brief survey of the functions of
the department gives no idea of the real
spirit of the Department of Commerce,
as reorganized and vitaliZed by Herbert
Hoover during the several years he was
in charge of its activities. I hear from
all sides-from trade associations, cham
bers of commerce, business men, Sens-
tors and Reprc sentatives travelling
abroad. writer's, representatives of for
a or
its prompt services. its accurate, corn
plete, up-to-date statements and reports,
its business-like methods. its Ge1uinely
constructive and helpful attitude toward
industry and commerce.
Trade Research Agency.
In accordance with Mr.. Hoover's con-
eeption Of its proper functions, the de-
rartment, in addition to its routine
activities, has become a great research
agency engaged in assisting trade and
industry to lower costs, eliminate waste
and improve products. The work of
the Bureau of Standards in promoting
the simplification of products and prac-
tees has continued vigorously during
the past two years. In this period 81
additional industries have voluntarily
accepted trade standards which will
assure to buyers uniform specifications
of quality and durability as we'll as
appearance of products, while simplif1-
cation standards. resulting in reduction
of the formerly excessive and waSteful
number of shapes and sizes of products,
have been accepted by "a additional in
Gustries Altogether about 100 distinct
lines of industry have up to now recog-
nized the possibilities of such simplifca-
ton. and it is estimated that as a re-
suit annual savings in production costs
of more than quarter OF billion dol
las have BEN brought abcut.
Last year. in response to the impera-
tive necessity for reducing the wastes
of distribution, the Commerce Depart
ment carried forward its first national
census of distribution in this field, and
These results are now being announced.
The importance Of this picneor work
con hardly he overeStimated: 1t con-
sttutas the first real survey ever made
by any governm mt of what has hither-
to been unknown business territory. City
BIZ city. and region by region, the f1rd-
inzs Of this survey viii, for the first
tine, provide buyers and sellers of ell
GASES of goods with exact data as to
buving power and trade outlets.
The in crest of the department in
the field of distribution has led the
Bureau OF Foreign end Domestic Com
rnerce recently to make serious at
tempt II explore the causes of retailers
fail? In the effort to answer this
cues ion the bureau with the aid of the
manufacturers, wholesalers and retail
e~s. r7cde a thorough survey &C the gro
cerv bustnecS in typical city. Louis
vile. which has proved unexpectedly
valuable to the commercial world. AS
a result of the study. WAYS for remov-
ing some of the hazards. betteying the
service end increasing the stability of
re all trade throughout the country
hare been discovered. In this connec-
ton. the Census Bureau has recently
announced that there are $4,000 re-
tell stores in the 43 States and the Dis
trict of Columbia-with total business
of more than $4,000, 100000. In s.
Louis this same approach IS being used
in the survey Of the retail drug bust
ness, and We confidently look for re-
suits from this similar t. those
achieved by the grocery survey.
Market Data Handbook.
In many other ways as well the de-
partment is endeavoring, through re-
search and investigation, to provide the
facts whereby business can reduce is
expenses and improve its services. In
the recent publication Of the Market
Data Handbook, a vast amount of u=a-
full market information has teen or
gcnized ami is being kept uD-to-date.
Fer regional surveys Of particular arcs,
much other information as to buvtng
power has been Systematically supple
mented and extended.
Within the past month or so the
Survey of Current Business-ori? mated
a decade ago by President Hoover wien
he was Secretary of Commerce-has
been brought out in greatly improved
form, bringing together each month in
clear and disable manner some 2.000
and thus helping business to conduct its
operations with full knowledge of all
significant facts. These stctistira al guides
are boing used by big and little bust
ness in reducing costs and increasing
efficiency, and hence, in lowering prices
to the cosumer.
By emphasizing thu ettention paid
to the field of domestic distribution, 1
do not wish to minimize the import" mt
work which is constantly being carried
on by the departments foreign service
Changing conditions in the United
States during the past year have caused
American business to call on the for
eign offices of the department as never
before. AS an illustration of this, near
ly one-third more inquiries were re-
ceived and answered by the foreign
Offices than in the preceding year, and
despite the shrinkage in the value of
cur foreign trade. resulting from the
worldwide depression and the fell in
prices, the amount of business brought
directly to American exporters bv tho
departm snts overseas Offices amounted
TO over $4,000, 00o-$3, 100000 more than
in the year before
Legislative considerst ton of economic
problems which have arisen during the
past two years has added to the work
of the department in the investigation
OF such prob ems as the disposal of sur
plus farm products abroad. the growth
of Y,IaVfe IN, fOrasrf1