Evening star., 1934-02-18
Government Probes
Into Business Facts
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

The Federal Government continues
to probe into business facts, condi-
tions, practices and problems in its
endeavor to find out what Is wrong
with the economic machinery. A
number Of compilations are now be-
ing made by the Bureau of the Cen
sus and these are supplemented by
surveys undertaken by private agen-
cies.
At the turn of the year the Bureau
ot the Census began taking census
of American business" The funds
were made available by the c. w. A.
to further the program Of relieving
unemployment, particularly among
the white collar workers, by providing
jobs In worthwhile projects.
The work started when 40 expert
enced field supervisors left Washing
ton for various sections of the coun-
try to instruct the new hands" in
their duties. Meanwhile question
naireS had been sent to more than e.
400 900 business establishments. With
in a week more than 500 reports had
been turned in BY the end Of a
month the $4,000 enumerators had
become familiar with their duties and
more than $4,000 questionnaires day
we're coming back to census headquar-
! ters. The project was finished this
week
| The director of the census says the
replies show not only careful and con-
| scientious work on the part OF the
enumerators, but whole hearted sup
port and cooperation by business
men" The data, when compiled and
classified, will be comparable with
the census of distribution taken in
| 1929. This enumeration was one of
| five. census projects, the funds for
which are being furnished by the
c. w. A.
A real estate inventory is being
taken in SO selected cities to gather
information on the character OF exist
ing housing facilities, overcrowding or
! shortage of adequate housing. All
sorts of Government and private agen-
| cies dealing with housing, as well as
general real estate, architectural con-
| tracing and planning boards, are CO.
operating in this survey. 1t is a new
field that is being covered, and 1t VIII
answer such questions as: Is 1t true
that the country is filled up with
thousands OF houses that should be
replaced? Is there overcrowding, or
an actual shortage of housing facili-
/ ties?
1t is hoped that the data gathered
will have value to Congress in plan
ming legislation, to the Federal Home
Loan Bank Board and other public
and private credit agencies, to local
communities for city planning and
tax-revision projects, and to real es-
| tate dealers, builders and contractors
| The secretary of the National Assoc1a-
! ton of Real Estate Boards says this
| is "the most necessary and intelligent
/ thing which the Federal Government
has ever done in the field Of housing
and to aid resumption of capital goods
production"
Speaking Of tax revision. the Bu-
reau of the Census, at the request
of State, municipal and county Of
| ficials. has undertaken a study of the
! operation and revenue yield of real
estate taxation. Tax delinquency In
65 cities will be studied in an effort
to furnish a comprehensive picture
| of taxation and local government diff
| ficulties as affected by the depression.
This survey has been sought by Of
ficials of local government units
throughout the country.
| II n Il r
The Federal Government, in work.
! ing out these surveys, is going to let
private business have the benefit of
what it finds out. The Department
of Commerce, for example. has now
worked out a new type Of CO.
operative arrangement with the Un-
derwear Institute for the gathering
and distribution Of important busi-
ness statistics. Under this plan the
census has started new series Of
monthly announcements showing fig
ures of production, stocks, orders and
shipments of knit underwear and
| other knit fabrics
The Secretary OF Commerce has
authorized the Bureau of the Census
| to enter into agreements of this kind
with other industries. Arrangements
are now being made for collabora-
ton with the mems clothing business.