The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-06
WASHINGTON
DAYBOOK
By JACK

WASHINGTON, April 5.-The census.takers
are certain Of one thing: They'll find more
persons nine years old in the United States
than any other age. In 1880, the greatest nu I.
Der of persons the same age was found in the
eight-year-old class, but it's moved up a year
since then.
Note to the Linton Chamber of INT
Greene county, Indiana: You may lose the dis.
tinction of being the center of population in
the United States. Estimates here are the pop.
ulation center will move 5 to 40 miles south
and west. That might throw it into Sullivan
or Knox counties; or even across the state
line into Illinois, say in Crawford, or Law.
renee counties. If you're good neighbors around
there, maybe you can show the folks how to
make the most of their Heart of America"
publicity campaign.
If Horace Greeley were saying it today, he
probably would put it this way: go west,
young woman, if you want to get married"
The percentage of men to women is far great.
er in the western states. Arizona, Nevada, wy
oming, Montana, Idaho all are prime marriage
States with the surplus males running some
thing like this: In Montana, 127 men to every
100 women; in Nevada, 1923 to 100. AS for
cities, new industrial centers, like Detroit, are
good marriage towns. San Francisco is another
one. But stay away from Hollywood and Wash
ington if you're out to catch a husband. The
odds there are against you.
Bad News For Women
While We are on the marriage SUBJECTIVE
1910 census certainly is going to contain bad
news for the ladies. For about 80 years, the
surplus of males in the country (once well
over 1000, O00) has been steadily declining and
this year probably will drop to half a million.
Although in an aging civilization. there are
(and don't ask me WHY more male babies
than females born, the rate Of Consumption"
is greater for the men. More men die from
accidents and disease. Add to this, the declin-
ing immigration, which always is predominant
ly male, and you have the answer. Observers
are viewing with alarm" They say If the
trend continues, thereN be more women than
men in the country before 1850. Instead of
men hunting wives, it will be women hunting
husbands. A little thing like that can turn
the social pattern of a nation upside down.
Bad News For?
What the census-takers' tallies are going to
do in some cities and states is going to make
big local news, If not national. In Cedar Rap.
ids, Iowa, for instance, if the population goes
over a certain point, the mayor and aldermen
get a raise in pay.
A number of states have liquor laws, bas.
ing the number of saloons in localities on pop
ulation. If those localities gain, therell be
more pubs where there were no pubs before.
And if they lose, the saloon-keepers will
have to draw straws to see who goes out of
business.
OF course, there's the matter of state repre-
s%entation in the house of representatives, but
that's another story-probably the biggest that
will come out of the 1910 census. Reapportion-
ment is a political bombshell and when the
figures are all in, national and local party
machines will start tossing the political TINT
about wildly as they angle for the advantages
of new representation setups.
One thing more: People who refuse to have
their noses counted are just cutting them off
IN spito coroabody Fednra1 highway funds. re-
lief and a number of other national benefac-
tons are based on the census. Enough dodgers
in any locality or state and it's going to be
money out of the neighbors' pockets.