Evening star., 1947-09-07
Statisticians Outline
Plans for Hemisphere
Census in 1850

Outlines for the worlds first In
ternational census are taking form
as the Committee on the 1850 Census
Of the Americas prepared to close
q six-day meeting tomorrow in time
for its members to attend the In
ternational Statistical Conferences
here. ..,
Members Of the 22-nation COM
mittee prepared after intensive study
and quick agreement on many
points, to draft a minimum ques-
tionnaire"-the basis on which 1t
Is hoped to make the first uniform
compilation of population and agri-
cultural statistics on more than a
national scale.
Some points on which complete
agreement has not been reached will
be taken up tomorrow before the
committee adjourns.
DR.. Stuart Rice Speaks.
DR.. Stuart A. Rice, co-ordinator
of statistical standards for ,the Bu-
reau OF the Budget, addressed the
statistical experts from 81 American
nations at the Wardman Park Ho-
tel on the Western Hemisphere CEN
sus as the proving ground for a
worldwide census which the United
Nations expects to sponsor in 1860.
Only absentee at the committee
sessions has been Cuba, whose rep
resentatives were reported delayed
by TRANSPORTATION difficulties.
Committee members, most of them
the heads of their nations statisti-
cal organizations which conduct
their censuses, during the past four
days have made an intensive study
OF the working papers" for the
hemisphere census. Along with
discussion of the particular items
which should be included in a
population census, they have exam
ined the types Of legislation needed
to authorize a census. the question
of census maps, of census Office or
ganization, and other problems such
as the machines needed to handle
large masses of information.
Approved Data Listed.
The population census, according
to agreements already reached by
the statisticians, will show age, sex,
place Of birth and literacy Of every
one in the hemisphere Also under
consideration for possible inclusion
In the minimum QUESTIONABLE" are
questions concerning marriage
status, occupational classif1cations
and language, according to DR.. CAL
vert l.. Dedrick, chairman Of the
committee and co-ordinator Of in
ternational statistics for the United
States Census Bureau, who was
committee spokesman at a press
conference.
The committee was emphatic, DR..
Dedrick said. in decision not to
include questions on race and color.
The agricultural census, planned
in cooperation with the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Or
ganization, will be part Of world
wide census of agricultural re-
sources which the U. N. group seeks
as . tool to help it plan better allo-
cation of world food supplies. Ques-
tions on a housing census will be
considered at q later meeting, and
commercial statistics also may be
included in the census.
Oficials pointed out that the
Committee on the 1850 Census of
the Americas was collection of
technical men, not Of diplomatic
personnel. Their agreements are
working agreements without politi-
cal standing. ...
What II some country doesn't ap-
propriate the money for census
of its own area?" DR.. Dedrick was
asked.
That will Just leave q gap in the
statistics, he answered.
Reports to Be EXCHANGED.
Each country will make it's own
census survey, he pointed out, al
though the countries will exchange
information and some will be able
to lend technicians to assist others
in the work. One Of the reasons for
the beginning of the committee S
work so far in advance of the actual
census date, he said, was to give
time for census legislation to be
considered by the individual nations,
and for the fears of census takers
felt by people in many areas to be
overcome by education.
The problem of hemisphere-wide
census is complicated, it was pointed
out, by the sketchy background in
census-taking experience of some of
the countries included. Ecuador
never has had a census, while no
. population census has been con-
> Quoted since before 1914 in Argen-
tina, Bolivia or Uruguay.
DR.. Dedrick suggested that Wig
orous propaganda campaign will be
needed to eliminate the fear of