Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-11-26
Capital Accountants Hear
Chicagoan's Review of
Recent Years.
MACHINES NOW PERFORM
LARGE PART OF WORK
William F. Sims Points to Impor-
tant Role of Science in Shap-
ing Future Of Business.

sweeping changes In once account
ing methods in recent years, the adop-
ton Of almost human machines, and
even the photographing of records TO
save copying hosts of figures were vivid
ly pictured in an illustrated lecture b.
William F. Sims, director of research
and methods of Felt e. Tarrant Co,
Chicago, before Washington Chapter,
National Association Of Cost Account
ants, at the November meeting at the
Mayhower Hotel His subject was .'Es-
sential Cost Statistics
Mr.. Sims reviewed the history of
Office practice over the last half CEN
fury, pointing out the many ways in
which science has aided this particular
field of endeavor Modern machinery
has taken its place in the office just as
in other daily activities and the office
manager of SO years ago would not
recognize his Office today.
The adding machine the bookkeeping
machine, the typewriter and visible
records are all products of the past 20
years. With the advent of modern ma
chinery many and various statistical
data Is being compiled. the practical
value of which is doubtful.
Modern Methods Illustrated.
Today Mr.. Sims said, industry is be-
ginning to focus its attention upon the
cost of obtaining such statistics which
are essential. In surveying this field
business has found that a proper de-
sign of the original source documents
affords one of the easiest and least ex-
pensive ways of obtaining essential cost
data. A number of our larger institu-
tons have adopted the photo-peg meth
cd Of accounting, which consists OF
properly designed original document,
which may, without further transcript
ton, be easily sorted, arranged. sum-
married and photographed without the
recopying of essential figures.
Thus the new consolidated statement
in some industries is photograph of
original documents. Mr.. Sims illus
trated this new method by numerous
forms used by such nationally known
concerns as the General Motors Cor
poration, the Eli Lilly Co. and the Ma
tional Dairy Products Corporation.
What great emphasis has been put
upon change" by those visitors to the
Century of Progress, especially in the
Hall of Science, or the Electrical, MAN.
Transportation Building.
One cannot but marvel at the great
nearly all taken place during our life
time, Mr.. Sims said
Amazing Changes Recalled.
I'm our own profession. as auditors,
cost accountants, controllers, We have
seen great changes in the manner OF
collecting costs. Most of us remember
when a man was called nut" who
advocated standard costs And although
they have been jolted badly during this
great upheaval, they have brought
benefits to arrangements. and especially
so through the benefits of budgetary
control, forecasting, market and sales
analysis.
And we can all visualize the great
changes in wage payment methods. Yet
to the great majority of cost account
ants, especially those who are not
active members of accounting societies,
do not fully realize the great economic
changes that have taken place.
THE principles of cost accounting
Reitel, the late Mr. Jordan, Harrison,
are revolutionary as compared with the
accounting practices of Just short time
ago.
1T was less than 20 years ago that
Mr.. Rand built his first visible file. Little
did he realize that the principle he
advocated at that time would play such
an important part in accounting rou-
tines Is years later by the use of the
peg-board. 1t is doubtful whether any
one of the visible record industry has
a full picture of what is taking place on
the overlapping principle which they
first started. This is one of the major
changes that has taken place.
Business World Remodeled.
Changes are remodeling our business
world If you men could swing around
the country with me, going from con-
sumner to jobber to manufacturer, you
would find changes, either forced or
v0luntary-rOt merely curtailments and
readjustments on account Of the bust
ness cycle. but new selling practices,
new products, new innovations and new
ONCE practices In the recording Of the
sales facts
Business is learning, painfully. re
nevertheless. to function in new and
different business world.
Many sales managers, who in the
boom times, were looked upon as tin
gods, are today fallen idols. In these
days, any sales organization which OPP
crates without some controlling ma
chinery for sales and expense, usually
wakes up about the time the crash
comes.
But with proper records and analy-
ses, steps can be taken to correct any
tendency toward increased expenses or
decreased sales by territories, by GUS
toners and by statesmen lines of trade"
Community Chest Methods.
James A. Councillor, Washington certi
fled public accountant and member OF
the speakers bureau of the Community
Chest. also spoke to the chapter on
the accounting system employed by the
Washington Community Chest.
This is so arranged, Mr.. Councillor
said. that no one person performs any
two accounting functions. The system
is one of check and recheck, which
absolutely assures the donor that his
contribution is made in exact accord
with his wishes.
Many favorable comments have been
received on the system employed by
the Washington Community Chest and
it is looked upon as one OF the best
in the country.
A. B. Gunnarson, president of Wash
ington chapter. presided at the meeting.
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