Evening star., 1942-12-03
Red Tope
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Continued From First Page.)
problem. His action was termed q
step in the right direction" bv Eric
A. Johnston, president of the United
States Chamber of Commerce, who
told the committee today that the
situation had become so serious "as
actually to interfere with activities
essential to the efficient conduct of
the war"
Mr.. Smith cautioned, in an inter-
view, however, that the war has Gre
ated a pressing need for all kinds
OF information. While he favored
elimination of unnecessary quizzes,
Mr.. Smith said, he hoped the USE
ful queStionnaires would be retained
More and more information. the
budget director added, 'is required to
operate a wartime economy and it
is therefore inevitable that the num-
Der OF questionnaires and report
forms should increase"
Senator George said Government
agencies are employing literally
thousands of persons to prepare
questionnaires and examine the
answers-if they actually are ex-
amined-all to no purpose" He ex-
pressed belief that 80 per cent of
them could be eliminated.
The time and money spent in
answering questionnaires, he said
was absorbing manpower, cutting
profits and interfering with the
Governments revenue receipts.
The volume of QUESTIONABLE and
other forms the Government is de-
manding American business and the
citizens to answer has gone far, far
beyond anything essential" Mr.
Johnston told the committee.
The situation has reached a point,
he declared, where every business
man should open his Office in the
morning singing, praise the Lord
and pass the inquisition,'
Byrd Bring Four Volumes.
Just before the committee resumed
Its hearing at 10 a m, Senator Byrd,
Democrat. of Virginia, the chairman,
arrived with four huge volumes
which he announced with a smile
contained interpretations" OF OPA
orders. ...
He placed the four volumes beside
him at the committee bench, but
when Senator McKellar, Democrat,
of Tennessee arrived and look
seat beside the chairman he sepa-
rated the books into piles Of two
each. II want to see said Senator
McKellar with a smile.
Mr.. Johnston, the first witness,
vigorously Endorsed the investigation,
explaining that the avalanche OF
questionnaires reports and other
methods of inquiry conducted by the
Government had become almost a
racket"
Asked what happens to the in
formation the Government receives,
Mr.. Johnston replied he had been
unable to find out. though he said
business firms sometimes get sum-
mary" from the Government agen-
cieS.
He further explained that some OF
the questions asked by the Govern
ment agencies are so complicated
and involved many companies have
to seek legal aid and often the law
yers are unable to answer them.
when bureaucrat and red tape
get mixed up" he said, you have
a questionnaire, and the American
people are sick of 1t.
Asks "Rationing" of Forms.
Rationing of queslionnaireS was
suggested by Mr. Johnston who de-
clared the situation now is serious
one for all business, particularly fol-
smaller business concerns.
There is no need for me to detail
at this time the burdens which Gov
ernment reporting procedures are
placing on business concerns he
continued. "They were already
large prior to the declaration of wal
and since then have become so seri-
Gus as actually to interfere with
activities essential to thle efficient
conduct of the war.
IF your committee through its
INQUIRY can make clear the limita-
tions which Government agencies
themselves should place upon the
use of questionnaires and other
methods of inquiry, it will have per-
formed a signal service for American
business and will have made, we
are confident. substantial contribu-
ton to the war effort"
Points to Newest Bulletin.
Early in his testimony. Mr.
Baughan' called attention to the
latest information sought from re.
tail procers in bulletin No 23s
which must be filled out and re-
turned by January IL. He said the
supplying of this information woulo
cost each grocer approximately 500
The data sought. he pointed out
relates to every article in the store
and covers such items as the brano
name. grade and type, weight Of
container size the name of thu. COM
pany which sold the product. ane
the net cost per customer unit ol
purchase price.
After this information is filed. ht
declared, 1.-The Gestapo will come II
and check up"
Mr. Baughan also explained thai
ceiling prices fixed by OPA on GER
tain products had forced retail gro
GERS to take loss. He called par
ticular attention to crate O.
L.