Evening star., 1950-04-02
792 c. neroos Complete Per Cent Of Job First Day Census

The 18th decennial census of
the United States got under way
throughout the Nation yesterday,
with first reports indicating the
145.000 enumerators were off to a
good start.
In the District, 1872 enumerators
completed about 7 per cent of the
job assigned them when they con-
Quoted 10000 interviews on their
first day out to obtain statistical
data on about 10000 residents.
This estimate was based on an
average of 3.5 persons in each
family reached.
Today the enumeratorS all over
the country were relaxing on
well-earned day off. They will re
turn to the tedious task of count
ing noses tomorrow.
The only exception here to the
Bureaus traditional Sunday holi-
day for census enumeratorS will
be at the District Jail. There nine
employees of the District Depart
ment of Corrections will be sworn
in as special enumerators to count
prisoners under the direction of
c. L. Nordstrom, a co-ordinator
for crew leaders in the local CEN
sus.
Occupation Blank.
Sunday was picked to quiz the
Jail inmates because that is the
only day in the week when no
prisoners are received or dis
charged, Mr.. Nordstrom explained.
Every fifth prisoner will be
asked the special questions about
income, the same ratio used in
the census generally. Occupa-
tions will be left blank.
The nine special jail enumera-
tors will be headed by S. A.
Anderson. assistant superinten-
dent of the Jail. Others will be
Roy j. White, Charles H. Our
and. James Mothershed, Miss
Lucille Hall, Earl S. Franklin,
Robert M. Depro, Shelby A. Hat
ley and Edward G. Brown.
Tomorrow morning full-fedged
operations will resume over the
city.
Washington has been divided
into two districts for the count.
Norman Russell, head of the dis
trict with headquarters at
Twenty-fourth street and Okla
homa avenue NE, has called a
special meeting at 8 pm. tomor-
row to go over Saturdays results
with crew leaders.
Crew Leaders to Report.
Levin Lugar. head of the other
district with headquarters at 1922
H street NV, said things went
so smoothly that no meeting has
been scheduled tomorrow. In
stead, crew leaders will report
individually as they get chance.
One girl enumerator was fired
after the days work. She couldn't
understand the forms she was fill
ing out. with some resulting con-
fusion. Her calls will have to
be made again by another enumer-
ator.
No reports of persons refusing to
answer questions were received
However, some enumerators found
a great many people out shopping
Saturday afternoon. A few re-
ported 100 per cent success, every
body home
Census Director Roy v. Peel
called again for cooperation from
all citizens so the census would be
as accurate and complete as pos
sible.
1t was emphasized that the in
divldual information supplied
census takers will be kept in
confidence and will be published
only in anonymous statistical
tables.
Fine and Jail Possible.
However, by refusing to answer
a question of the census taker
a person makes himself liable to
a $500 fine and 60 days in Jail.
But no census taker is going to be
nasty about it. All means of
persuasion will be used on re-
luctant people. and if they fail.
the cases will be referred to the
central bureau for action.
-Four weeks from noW-after
visiting every family in the Unit
ed States-the countrys enumer-
ators will hang up their walking
shoes until 1860, when the huge
tallying job starts all over.
They will have learned that the
Nations 1850 population totals
something over ISL million, plus
about 4 million in the territories
and possessions. They probably
will have found that California
has been the big gamer, and is |