The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-07-06
SENT OUT 100000 QUEsTIO IONNAIRES

New York, N. Y., July 6 = The mention of Park Avenue at Grand Central often creates mental pie ture of hurrying crowds, imposing hotels, novel places to eat or close proximity to theaters and night clubs. It likewise suggests shop ping section or an expensive resi- dential area. One would rarely think of this location in trying to solve some factory or industrial problem.
 A mining puzzler, transportation bottle-neck, clothing industry deadlock, public utility complica- ton, tobacco share cropper's com- plaint, often smooth out agreeably after 6 visit to the "247" Park Ave- nue address.
 Stickler situations also involve manufacturers, workers and sup pliers of automotive, aeronautic ve- hicles and accessories, building ma terials, electric equipment and ap- pliances, explosives and ammuni- ton, food, beverage and dairy prod ucts, glass, instruments and scien- tific apparatus, lumber and leather products, machinery accessories and supplies, metals and metal prod ucts, paints, pigments, varnishes, pa- per pulp and paper products, petro- leum and petroleum products, print ing and publishing, rubber and rub Der products, shipbuilding, soaps and toilet preparations, textiles and tex tile prodcts, and practically every other classification one can think of in this world of creative genius. I have heard some tall stories about cooperative enterprise for all American industry at a font of in- formation in the Park Avenue ad- dress and decided to have look for myself. The place was looking for Is listed on the buildings di- rectory as National Industrial Con- ference Board, fourth floor. I ob- served 1t was entirely devoted to li- brary consultation rooms and fact finding workers.
 I talked for a few minutes with H. F. Brown, who explained to me that the organization got Its start during the war to end all wars which ended little too soon for most Americans. If I interpret his remarks correctly, some eleven thousand business concerns through out the nation cooperate In 8 con- tinuous plan of assembling facts and information to be analysed, tabulated, sifted and then made available for any interested con- cern.
 Specialists in each line of en- deavor are engaged to ascertain the meat" on everything submitted, se- cured or suggested in this country and others, which can be used for the good of mankind. That ranges high, wide and handsome, including the improvement of product, con- ditions under which employer and employe work, insurance. health, conservation of supply of basic ma terial, etc. They try to disseminate all information in the best possible manner to accomplish the most good. This can be done by direct letter, in charts, maps, booklets or reports.
 Getting a case history of facts is an enormous task of manage ment. It calls for conferences of business people, interviews of work men, scientists, educators, person. mel managers, consumers, publica- tons. people and any other in the various notifications that make up the industrial complex of the world.
 Cooperation of over eleven thou sand firms is entirely voluntary and given with will. The Conference Board does not pay a fee to any of its cooperators. The sole interest and purpose in pooling their in- formation is to provide all business enterprise with a continuous stream