Evening star., 1938-07-05
Letters to The Star
Cooperation the Keystone
OF Census Bureau Work.


OF Census Bureau Work.
To the Editor of The Star:
There appeared in The Sunday Star
OF June 26. 1888. an article entitled The
Deluge of Paper Work. In this article
reference was made to the census of
manufactures of the Department of
Commerce. the collection and compila-
ton of which is a function of the Bureau
of the Census. We know the author
would not Intentionally misrepresent the
bureau or, in fact, any organization or
individual in an article for the public
press, but you were evidently misin-
formed about the present census of man.
ufactures. I am giving you the facts
which are borne out by the records of
the bureau
The article stated: THE depart
ment some months ago sent out 143 forms
covering BAL different industries, but
the amount of information asked is so
great that only a few have been re-
turned to date" whereas the fact of the
matter Is that over 86 per cent have
been returned. There were mailed out
from the Bureau of the Census during
the last days of January 23l 1854 cues
tlonnalres to the manufacturers listed
by the bureau for the 1887 census, Up
to the close of June 27, 200 O85 returns
had been received in the Washington
of11ce OF the bureau In addition to
this, number of schedules are in the
hands OF our field representatives
throughout the country, some of which
are now in the mail en- route to Wash
lngton. Practically all of the oues-
tionnaires should be returned within the
next three or four weeks. This period is
less than the time usually required to
collect the census questionnaires from
the manufacturers of the United States.
The record return of the schedules is
due to two facts:
l. Inc manufacturers, through their
associations, actively co-operated in the
formulation of the schedules.
T. In the canvass for the 1887 census
OF manufacturers. now rapidly drawing
10 close, the bureau has had the active
assistance and cooperation of the lead
ing chambers OF commerce. boards of
traoe ana other trade organizations.
Inc bureau OF the Census is the oldest,
as well as the largest, statistical organ
lzatlon IN the Federal service, the decen-
MAI census OF population having been
PROVIDED for by the Constitution of the
united States. Under the law the in
dlvidual census returns are confidential
and can be examined only bv sworn
employees OF the Census Bureau and the
information can be used only for statis-
tical purposes. This confidential pro-
vision applies even to the names and
addresses of the persons reporting. AS
result of this protection given to the
reports OF manufacturers, we have their
confidence.
Inc policy of the Bureau of the Census
is nased upon Cooperation. Before we
UNDERTAKE any inquiry we consult not
only other interested Federal services.
put also representatives Of the industries
or trades: We sit down with them at the
tanle and work out form Of question:
mare which Is agreeable to all concerned
Inc schedule forms of the 1887 census
OF manufactures were submitted to the
central Statistical Board for its recon-
henoaIons, as are all statistical ques-
tionnaires OF the Federal services.
w. L. AUSTIN,
director, Bureau of the Census.