Evening star., 1935-12-01

Leonard Abbott Is research editor ir
the District.
A TREMENDOUS job Of editing
faces these men in the various
States and Messrs. Baker, Alsberg anc
Cronyn at the Central Bureau here
in Washington. With 1000 workers
turning out 1000 words weekly, the
total volume Of editorial copy received
will be 40 or so times the total size
of the five final volumes. Approximate
ly 100,000,000 words of field copy must
be condensed to 2,500,000-if the
American Guide is not to occupy a
wing Of its own In the Congressional
Library.
Cronyn says the condensing must be
done as the work proceeds. The Cen
tral Bureau, aided by four encyclo-
pedists and seven or eight newspaper
men will attempt to calculate the
relative Importance of items as the
copy comes in, and will try to devise
checking system and a control rou-
tine"
The rewrite men in the State bu-
reaus will get the first whack at con-
densation. It Is their task to cut the
material, turned in by field workers, to
one-tenth the original size. They, in
turn, send the condensed version to
the Central Bureau, which condenses
it again, to one-fourth the volume re-
ceived. Carbons of the original ma
terial and the first condensation are
retained by the local and State bu-
reaus for use In the local and State
guides.
Thus not one American guide Of two
and one-haf million words is now in
preparation, but so more, totaling
100000 words, in every State, New
York City and the District Of Colum-
bia; and countless others, covering
100,o00,000 words. In every valley and
plateau township throughout the coun-
try that can boast of traditions, tourist
appeal or historical heritage. Writers
are especially warned to discount
local bias, commercial interest or
local pride" lest the guides become
little more than fowery words in
praise Of practically everything"
THE guide Of national scope will not
be a reference library, doomed to
a place on the shelf beside the diction-
ary, the World Almanac and Who's
Who in America. It is intended to be
a work of literary merit and "a model
Of precise and succinct excellence"
''It will not be dry. but readable" I"
says Cronyn. It will flow along with
color and human interest"
The Relief Administration has al
ready set aside $3,250,000 for this
project, 90 per cent of which will be
used for salaries of relief workers, 8
per cent for the directing staff and q
per cent on incidental expenses. As
has been true Of many other Federal
projects, political pressure has been
brought to bear on the directors of the
set-up to obtain jobs for followers.
Senators call me every day request
ing jobs for friends in their districts
who may have written books back in
$780," Cronyn remarked. But I tell
them that we've already picked our
staff and are quite satisfied"
AS the project progresses, it may be
necessary, 1t was disclosed, to set up
training schools for workers. A few
States have already organized classes
for writer's Of the American Guide,
seeking to instill due reverence for
facts and the knack Of condensation.
The directors feel that this instruction
will fit the workers for other endeavors
when the project is over and they are
compelled to- seek employment in pri-
vste fields Of inquiry and publication.
after six months of this work
they'll be better people for research
workers and WRITER'S" says Cronyn.
'"They viii have engaged in an en-
cyclopedic work you won't find in
encyclopedias and will have made an
contribution to the history
Of America"