Evening star., 1937-04-17

tics 1t gathers are of vital concern TO
every individual. What is nearer to
any Of us than birth or death? And
all our lives between are affected by
such agencies as Government, in
dustry, commerce, transportation,
communications, health, education
and other phases Of collective life
all Of concern to the Bureau Of Gen.
SH.
Census records are continually being
consulted by manufacturers, whole
salers, retailers, agricultural cooper
atives and associations, publishers,
advertisers, educators, State, county
and city officials and health agencies
in an effort to expand their trade
activities or in the interests of social
or economic advancement. Such ex-
pansion, as Census officials point out,
naturally results in the distribution
of gains all along the line in human
contentment, social security and more
effective individual endeavor."
The Bureau Of the Census has in
creased its powers and efficiency since
the days when it first operated. The
first census in 1890 took 18 months to
count population of 1929 PA people.
In 1880 122.775,046 souls were emu
merated in / month. Likewise, that
first census takers job was no soft
berth. In addition to physical hard
ships, early census takers were faced
with sectional jealousy and distrust
OF the new National Government.
Early settlers feared an increase in
taxation and some even believed that
this was an act contrary to Divine
Will and would call down the wrath OF
Heaven upon the inhabitants OF the
land. How our ancestors did toss
about that Divine Will to their own
advantage!
WHILE We do not use the same alibi
w today, there are still individuals
the length and breadth OF the land
who hesitate to answer the straight
forward questions of the census taker
for fear the information will in some
obscure way be used against them.
Little do such reluctant individuals
realize how we'll guarded Is this ex-
pensively- attained information! II
any one in or outside Of the Bureau
of the Census-outside Of the proper
oficialcan decipher those punched
cards he is assuredly better man At
hieroglyphics than your reporter.
You have to be career civil service
man, and consult a chart to boot, to
wiring information from those cards
to the effect that John Jones was
even born in the first place. Anybody
looking for racy reading or q bit OF
neighbofly gossip from a perusal OF
census records-provided you could
peruse them, which you can't-Would
have to make something out of lot OF
digits with round holes punched next
to them. We can state with personal
positiveness that your information Is
safe with Uncle Sam. In fact Uncle
Sam isn't even permitted to let his
right hand know what his left Is
doing, when it comes to census In
formation. Even Department OF JUS
tice agents get turned down cold II
they dare to inquire about your most
recent murder. And If the Income
Tax Division wants you to settle up
to the tune Of q hundred thousand in
back taxes, the Bureau Of the Census
never lifts an eyelash. To any and
all inquiries Mr.. Austins helpmates
retort frigidly, What John Jones?"
The way they tell you this ON
cially, in red ink, on all letterheads
is: your census reports are conf
dental. Acts of Congress make 1t
unlawful to disclose any facts, in
cludtng names Of identity, from your