The Daily Alaska empire., 1945-07-28
For Want of a Nail
Washington Post)

The familiar jingle about the missing nail for a horses shoe that resulted in the loss of battle and a kingdom is a reminder that for want of few basic statistics the reconverson battles may be lost, with dire consequences to the country. For many months proposals to fill in certain strategic gaps in the Governments statistical reporting services in preparation for looming reconverson tasks have been hanging fire because Congress has failed to vote necessary appropriations Last August, following in- structions from President Roosevelt, interdepart mental committee presented program to Congress that failed to survive House scrutiny. Last January revised plan again submitted to Congress. Ex- tended hearings held, but nothing was done, despite the need for haste to assure the availability of the data when wanted
 Following appeal from War Mobillzer Vlnson late in April hearings were resumed, with the result that on May bill reported from the Committee Appropriations requesting approXimately lo million dollars for statistical purposes. few days later the House debated the bill with critics sharply attacking the proposed legislation waste of manpower and money, despite expert testimony, official and un- official to the contrary No action was taken Part of the in question designed to finance studies of consumer expenditures, savings and income as well as the regular biennial census of manufacturers for l945 which is provided for by law, and sample census of business for the same year This appro- priation also covered expenses of a sample survey for estimating the size and distribution of the Nations labor force and population and various com pation expenses.
 The fact that Government agencies nave nau Co devote their efforts almost entirely in recent years to the immediate problems of wartime control makes It all the more necessary to fill in gaps in statistical reporting services For, Judge Vinson stated when appealing for action upon this essential statistical program decisions taken in ignorance would tend to produce the kind of confusion and that we are trying utmost to avoid We do not wonder that Judge Vinson is moved by a sense of urgency since it is impossible to plan integenty for convert ing industry to peacetime basis in the absence of pertinent information about farreaching changes Tn our economy resulting from the war.
 Specifically, Judge Vinson points to the need of information concerning the number and location of manufacturing establishments, and the number Of workers employed. No such information has been as- sembed since 1939 Yet talk glibly about planning for full postwar employment in the absence of es- sential data of this sort Similarly, information is needed about the impact of the upon wholesale and retail trade" about which likewise no information has been assembled since 1889. It is also necessary to know more about the volume of consumer income and its distribution facts about consumer expend- tures and the amount and distribution of consumer savings that producers and manufacturers can be aided in planning for reconverson.
 Cutbacks resulting from the end of the European war will notceably speed the pace of reconversion in the next few months. The appeals for prompt action made by the Director of War Mobilization and Reconversion have been emphasized by supporting recommendations from President Truman, accom- panied by a warning that, lacking adequate and accurate facts on which to base business and gov ernmental plans in the days ahead we run serious risks" In face of the evidence showing the need for haste congressional nacton is utterly ndefensbe