The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-21
. Washington Daybook
BY JACK sTINNETT

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 - In Government
City, where any visitor is likely to hang him.
self in tangle of red tape, credit Secretary
Of Commerce Jesse Jones and one of his as
sistants, Norman Baxter. former Washing
ton newspaper man, with clearing out one of
the most formidable red-tape jungles for
visiting business men.
Officially, it's known as the Service and
Information office. It's housed in a room that
opens off the Department of Commerce main
lobby. It doesn't look like much. It's staff con-
sists OF four men, couple of secretaries and
a kindly, middle-aged woman, who is hui
man directory Of names and numbers and
probably could beat the local telephone book
at its own game.
At Commerce. the Service and Information
office generally is referred to as Baxter S
baby" 1t was from him that got the facts
Of the case.
Nobody knows exactly, but it is estimated
that there are somewhere around 1000 ''sales-
men" a day in Washington, trying to peddle
their wares to Uncle Sam. These generally
aren't statesmen at all but heads Of COM
panies, vice-presidents, ETC., of firms that
would like government contracts for every
thing from toothpicks to zeppelins
On the other side Of the fence are about
500 major purchasers and thousands Of in
spectors, consumers, supervisors, ETC., who
d
contract can be signed.
WAS BAD BEFORE DEFENSE
Are you beginning to see the picture? Even
before national defense, it was utter confusion
daily, but with vastly increased buying in re-
cent months, Washington has become veri-
table clutter of harried business men-harried,
not because they can't put over DEAL but
because they can't even find the person to
whom they can make their sales talk.
A few months ago, letter came across
Baxter's desk, in which bedevilled business
man listed II persons on whom he had called
and he still hadn't located the man he was
supposed to see. That was the day of the
birth Of the Service and Information office.
Now, business man can call at the De-
partment Of Commerce, check into the office
and within a few minutes have a complete
list Of government officials he has to see. One
amusing thing is that the very completeness
Of this list has caused almost as much con.
sternation in some cases as the pick-and-hunt
system did before
other day who wanted to sell the government
some laWnmoWers While he sat and chatteo
about the low estate Of the lawn-mower bust
ness lit seems that mass production Of "chear
lawn-mowers" was wrecking the old masters)
secretary ran out list. The list contained
10 names. Ihe laWn-moWer tycoon was flab
bergasted.
''Do I have to see all these people?'' he
asked.
well. you do II you want to cover the
field" the S. & s. man answered. 'You see,
there are 16 people in the government who
buy 1awn.nnowers.''
SIX CRACKER BUYERS
The fellow who came in to peddle new
soda cracker bulging with vitarnins had ar
easier job There are only six persons in the
government who buy crackers.
The real kick in Service and Information
ito me, anyway is that, according to Baxter
most business men make the junket to Wash
tnrton needlessly. They could sell just as
quickly, many times much more SO, by staying
at home, and making their contacts IN tnel1
own trade territories.
Uncle Sans buyers, it seems, are scattefeo
all over the globe. It's result OF a tains sna
| ..1tAa uaAoAr4ro1ixotin which Uncle Sam