The Coolidge examiner., 1932-12-30
Our Government
How 1t Operates
DEPARTMENT OF
COMMERCE
BY William, EruckGrt

THE development of the United
l. States as a nation, from the be-
ginning, has centered in commerce
and industry. We apparently have
become now "A traditionally business
people The growth of our popula-
tion and the growth of our business
structure has been coincidental.
Lapses have occurred in business
development, of course, but the
people always have found a way
out and always have gone on eX-
panding in influence among the ma
tions of the world, in development
of new and better things, In con-
tent among ourselves.
In view of this condition, then,
of our national life be recognized
with something Of permanency be-
sides the printed record of our do
ings? Holding the belief that there
should be this recognition. am not
among those who complain that the
congress directed the expenditure
OF a reckless amount of money for
| construction OF the building In
Washington that is the home of the
Department of Commerce.
This building Of three city
blocks in length and one in width,
and with its seven stories of height,
will stand until the sands of the
desert grow cold" as a sign of the
nations wealth.
But what is going on within that
structure? Thousands Of workers
are busy; the very aspect Of II
typifies American life.
Although one Of the newer OF
the executive departments, 1t Is
one of the largest. II was made
so because commerce and industry
sought central place to go for ad-
vice, for consultation about its
problems, for records of the past
and OF the present.
Let us just make a tour OF the
place and see the manifold activ-
tiles that go on day by day, week
after week.
Because Ii Is interested in every
phase of commerce and industry.
aside from agriculture to which the
government has dedicated a separ-
ate agency, there are units Of the
Department of Commerce given
over TO all OF these things. 1t has
the great bureau of foreign and
domestic commerce, given over TO
the broad phases of domestic and
foreign business operations of those
who produce and sell as well as of
those who buy. II has branch
given over to aeronautics, with all
OF it's attendant interests, and has
a bureau of mines that is far reach
ing in the work that IL does In con-
nection with the nations great
mining industry.
Besides these. there Is that vast
institution. the bureau Of standards
whose name tells absolutely moth
ing about the myriad tricks which
it's personnel makes science do for
the common veal. That bureau,
of which we will have more later,
stands alone In the whole world as
many-minded. many-armed giant
of multiple purposes. and yet of
the single purpose 10 make this
world a better place in which to
live
And of the United States patent
office. there must be more than
passing mention. Commerce and
industry owes rs much TO that agen-
cy as IL does To the bureau OF
standards. because. had not the IA
theirs foreseen that persons were
going TO invent the telephone or
the automobile or the millions OF
other things used in daily life and
provided protection for them, they
would never have been able TO at
tract the capital necessary to pro-
duce them. SO that patent office
stands as a great bulwark assuring
the genius OF the nation that ii
shall have the fruits of its energies
expended in the direction of inven-
tion.
Then for shipping, for the fishing
industry, there is provision for
government help through the bureau
of lighthouses, the bureau of fish
cries. the bureau of navigation, the
coast and geodetic survey, and the
steamboat inspection service. Each
in it's sphere is an aid to the COM
merce and industry; each in its own
way provides protection for life
and property.
Imagine. if you WILL what cOndi-
tions would be If ships were COM
PEELED 10 sail uncharted coast
| lines and harbors and passage with
out maps, without buoys or mark
ers. without lighthouses. Few per-
sons would care to invest money in
ships that were faced with such
conditions, and fewer persons
would care to trust their lives or
| their property as cargo aboard