Evening star., 1942-08-22
Inquiries at Information Center
Keeping Up at Steady Pace
Most Of Questions Deal With Priorities,
Rotioning and Other Restrictions

Americas war pulse Is beating
faster II inquiries made at the U. s.
Information Center accurately re-
feet national trends.
There has been little decrease in
the number Of inquiries made there
in person or by telephone each week
since the office was opened at Four
teenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. NV. early In May, but q dis
tinct change IN the nature of re-
quests has been noted. Where the
emphasis was on conversion Of
peacetime plants into war produc-
ton few months ago, the mAjogity
of business inquiries now deal with
priorities, rationing and othef re-
strict3ge 16gulations, ofncials ny.
There is q close relationships be-
tween changing war developments
and the nature or inquiries, it Is
said, indicating a hardening. Of the
wars reaction. Because their per-
sonal lives are being directly af-
fected by rationing, thousands of
inquiries reveal q distinct consumer
interest in war measures. BY the
same token, priorities have become
the No. ] interest Of business enter
prises.
Operated BY Inquiries Bureau.
The Information Center, now op-
Grated by the Bureau OF Inquiries,
Once Of War Information, has had
its facilities used by approximately
250,000 persons since the building
was opened May 1. Congressional
critics termed the building, during
its construction, q waste of funds.
The Information Center, then un-
der the Supervision Of the Once OF
Government Reports, of which Low
ell Mellett was director, Is now q
division under the control Of Elmer
Davis, owl chief.
In its first, weeks operations
May 4-10. the center handled 1917
inquiries. For the week June 90
July 5 the total was 14,4o5, from
July 1919 the number of inquiries
totaled 1866 and for the week OF
August 3-8 the total was 12,79O
Onicials explained that a 6 pm
closing, which was started In July
tended to reduce the total number
Of inquiries as compared with the
May and June totals, during which
period the center was kept oper
until 8 pm.
To check the type Of service de.
sired, officials at the Information
Center each day require q writer
analysis from counter clerks anc
staff specialists. The bulk Of thu
inquiries still concern Government
locations and personnel. A typica
days tabulation disclosed 80 per-
sons asking information concerning
rationing, with an additional g
wanting to know about price con.
troll regulations.
Extrasts From Analyses.
The center has nine staff spe.
cialists who guide businessmen
through a maze of red tape tt
Government Offices handling par
ticular problems. The range Of in
quiries is shown by the following
extracts from analyses:
Whom do I contact to sell raft
to the Coast Guard?
Whom do / see in WPB abou
the manufacture of glycerin?
Where can new ore be testet
when companies are manufacturing
plasticsp
What agency issues insurance OF
commercial shipping?
| Where can find out how mucl
steel Is used in a large bomb7
How can my company secur,
additional capital fro mthe Gov
ernment for war work?
HAS the Red Cross issued q cal
for surgical instruments?
How many gallons OF fuel oi
will be allotted to the State o
Minnesota this winter?
what branch OF the Army shoul,
I contact to sell coconut shells 70
the manufacture of activated char
coal for gas masks?
Query on Wooden Barges.
"Whom should one zee regardin
contracts for wooden barges fo
the transportation of oil7
. Are there any rife practic
: training courses for women? Hov
! do you 60 about joining tn
WAVES or WAACS? Are there de
tense training courses for women?
when will the Pau-America'
:. Highway be completed7