Evening star., 1940-02-06
Census 10 Affect
Future Of All,
Austin Tells Forum
Director Points Out
Growth Of System as
America Expands

William Lane Austin, director OF
the census, discussed plans for the
1910 enumeration Of citizens last
night in the National Radio Forum,
arranged by The Star and broad
cast over a Nationwide network
OF the National Broadcasting Co.
The text of Mr.. Austin's speech
follows:
The authors of the United States
Constitution saw the need for q
census of the population every 10
years. They wrote into Article
Of the Constitution these words:
1.-THE actual enumeration shall be
made within three years after the
first meeting of the Congress of the
United States, and within every
subsequent term of 10 years, in
such manner as they shall by law
direct"
Please let me emphasize that
last clause by repeating it: I'm
such manner as they-the Congress
shall by law direct"
The first census, as ordered by
the Constitution, was taken IN the
year 1790-a full century and a
half ago this year. 1t had but
one major purpose: The determin-
ing Of how many Representatives
each State was entitled to seat In
the Lower House of Congress.
The story of the 1910 census.
with its wide range OF subjects and
questions, becomes much clearer If
we understand what has happened
In the meantime.
Another Need Recognized.
BY 1910 our great patriotic lead
ers were saying that our newly
won political independence was not
enough. We needed economic in
dependence. We still were bound to
the Old World by our need for man.
ufactured goods We needed to en-
courage the building of factories
In this country to make ourselves
more independent from European
merchandise. But how? Obviously
the primary need was to know
what factories already were here,
and thus be able to judge our vari-
Gus needs.
So, as authorized in the Con-
stitution, Congress passed a law
creating a census of manufacturers.
That was in 1910.
Thirty years later farming had
become such a far-flung American
activity that there was wide popu-
lar demand for a census of agricul-
ture, and Congress again extended
the scope of the census. That was
In 1840, and the following so years
saw a number of further extensions
Of this work-principally into the
field of social statistics.
I am doubly thankful to The
Washington Star and the National
Broadcasting Co. for this oppor-
tunity to talk about my favorite
subject. First. it is the 150th ami
versary of the census. And second,
1t is my 40th year as a census
worker.
do not wish to burden you with
my personal experience, except that
can testify first-hand to many Of
the reasons why the 1910 census is
what it Is.
The census is the fact-finder of
the Nation. It's inquiries change or
expand as the needs of the people
change or expand, and those changes
are made on constitutional author
ity by Congress.
Census of Housing Added.
This year, Congress has decided,
we will take census of housing.
It is a subject We never have COW
cred before. But Congress felt that,
with all the talk that a great home
building revival might be a major
step toward prosperity, the Nation
at least should know the facts.
Congress, as is its custom, was act
ing in response to powerful public
sentiment. That is the way de-
mocracy works.
I began work in this bureau at
the time of the twelfth decennial
census in 1900-actually before there
was a permanent Census Bureau
established by act of Congress. In
those days we had to build up an
entirely temporary staff each time,
and so we had to use men and
women who had had little or no
experience in census work. was