Evening star., 1938-06-26
u. S. QUESTION CLINIC

and infant and maternal welfare are
all top fight" in public concern, they
find. A typical days mail gets down
to cases and regular cross section
OF American life passes in review as
We leaf through the 20o-odd letters
that are the average daily intake.
A farmer down in Georgia wants
names Of stock dealers. preferably in
New York City or Philadelphia. who
are interested in the purchase of
goats. Several persons ask about
civil service positions and these letters
are forwarded to the Civil Service
Commission. A prospective student
asks names of certain schools in
Texas. and the Office Of Education
will answer him in due course. Cues
tons pertaining to Works Progress
Administration work 60 to that Office.
A PROPERTY owner inquiries
about suitable roofing for
small building. A high school boy in
Kansas seeks information on Indian
flint arrow heads-how they are made,
ct cetera. That's one for the Smith
sonian. Down toward the bottom of
the pile We find an inquiry about the
opportunities for vocational education
In the field Of marble.
I'VE feel rather proud OF that last
man." Miss Root remarked at this
point. He became interested in
structural tile and, through informa-
ton which we were able to furnish
him, got job along that line. Now
he's looking for other fields to con-
quer and writes to ask us about the
marble industry"
Nor Is this an isolated case, for
many people seek aid from the In
formation Service again and again.
This writer saw a letter from
nationally known executive in which
he thanked Miss Root for "the as
sistance SO often rendered" to himself
and his associates. Senators and
Representatives turn gladly to her
when beset with puzzlers from their
constituents. Such as that from the
man who asked whether the Federal
Government would help him to start a
drum and bugle corps and pay him
a drum majors salary when the or
ganization got going!
Questions about "how to obtain a
birth certificate" must be a relief after
that last poser. The thousands Of re-
quests for this information fall. We
are told. into two general classes
the younger person who wants the
certificate for employment purposes
and the older person who wants it
for old-age pension records. >
But individual Americans aren't the
only questioners. Trade associations
and technical groups send many
problems. Schools, colleges and uni
versities and chambers OF commerce
are among the most frequent clients,
said our informant. Too, most Of
the foreign embassies and legations
here query the service from time to
time. Sometimes they are watching
general developments closely. Again.
they may be particularly intent on
our handling Of certain types Of prob
lems-such Is economic and social
welfare-and on this latter List We
find France, Turkey, many South
American countries and both China
and Japan.
FOREIGN contacts are individual
as well ~ general, for many
distinguished strangers personally seek
the bureau for information and ad-
vice. A recent visitor of this rank
was the government printer Of the
Union Of South Africa, who made
friendly call. Europeans instinctiyely
look for one large governmental ia
formation bureau. Miss Root says, as
they are accustomed to that system
at home.
Both alien and American visitors
often have but one day to spend here
and expect to see the leaders in their
particular fields In that short space
Gee QUESTION CLINIC. Page CID