OFFICE OF PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT, Hon. GUY L. MOSER, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. MOSER: I am advised that your committee is presently holding hearings on S. 1627, which would make census reports and information available for use in connection with the national-defense program. Such legislation is of vital importance to the work of the Division of Contract Distribution. The functions of that Division include the effective distribution of defense contracts to smaller business enterprises and the conversion of nondefense industries and plants to defense production. The intelligent performance of those functions requires information as to the number, size, location, and character of business establishments in the United States and other important industrial data. The Bureau of the Census already has much valuable information along those lines but is prevented from disclosing it because of the restrictions imposed by existing law. The Bureau of the Census also appears to be the agency best equipped to obtain current information on industry and business. Inasmuch as S. 1627 would accomplish these much needed changes, I strongly endorse that bill and will greatly appreciate anything that can be done to expedite its enactment. Very truly yours, FLOYD B. ODLUM, Director, Division of Contract Distribution. ENGINEERING ADVERTISERS ASSOCIATION. Chicago, Ill., September 11, 1941. Chairman, House Census Committee, Hon. GUY L. MOSER, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: As president of the Engineering Advertisers Association, Chicago chapter, National Industrial Advertisers Association-representing nearly 125 industrial firms in the Chicago area-I wish, in the name of the association, to recommend withholding any immediate action on bill S. 1627 now pending before your committee. We feel that this bill, which recommends putting the census of manufactures on a 5-year basis instead of the present biennial basis, will work hardships on our members and their firms. The members of this association need the statistical data contained in the Census of Manufactures to carry on their investigations of markets to determine what steps need be followed in marketing their company's products. If this census is placed on a quinquennial basis it will lose its value for the determination of trends in markets, for example, and thus be of little use in fulfilling its original purpose. We strongly urge, therefore, that your committee withhold action on the proposed change until those groups most affected have time to properly consider the effects of such changes. Further, these groups would like to have an opportunity to fully express their reasons against the change; and to express reasons in favor of continuing the present biennial basis. Your serious consideration of this request will be very much appreciated. W. LANE WITT, President. JOSEPH T. RYERSON & SON, INC., Hon. GUY L. MOSER, Chairman, House Census Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR MR. MOSER: We understand there is now a bill before Congress to cut down the frequency of the census of manufacturers so that in the future this record would only be taken every 5 years. As we currently use this record and other associated figures in our current business and research work, we are hoping that this change will not be made. Would it not be possible to suspend the census work temporarily if other work is crowding it out, but not to change the law? It is our opinion that the census of manufacturers should be taken at least every 3 years to have a record of any real practical value to industry. The National Industrial Advertisers Association is having a meeting in Toronto on September 17, 18, and 19. Richard P. Dodds, president of our association, has asked the Secretary of Commerce to send a representative to discuss this matter so that you all will have a better idea as to the extensive use of these figures by manufacturers. No doubt if he is able to have this meeting with our group, there will be a better understanding of the situation and you will agree to a continuation of census figures at least on a 3 years' basis. Yours very truly, KEITH J. EVANS, THE BUCHEN Co., ADVERTISING, Hon. GUY L. MOSER, Chairman, House Census Committee, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We wish to urge the delay of any immediate action on bill S. 1627, which recommends putting the census of manufactures on a 5-year basis instead of the present biennial basis. Statistical data contained in the biennial census is of great value to us and to our clients in analyzing and determining short-time changes in market patterns. If put on a quinquennial basis this census would not provide nearly as accurate a picture of market conditions, and would lose much of its value as a source of up-to-date information. We, therefore, ask that your committee withhold any immediate action in order that interested parties, upon whom the proposed change would work a hardship, have a chance to fully present their case. Your cooperation will be appreciated. THE BUCHEN Co., ROBERT W. MARCH, Research Department. CRANE CO., Hon. GUY L. MOSER, Chairman, House Census Committee, Chicago, September 12, 1941. House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: Bill S. 1627, a section of which would put the biennial census of manufacturing on a 5-year basis, is before your committee for consideration. May we urge that this change be omitted from the bill or that action on the bill be postponed in order that businessmen may have time to realize its adverse effects and to present their case? The sales research department of Crane Co. uses the biennial manufacturing census information continually to determine proper action on location of outlets, establishment of additional distribution points, sales quotas, etc. You will readily appreciate that at the rate new factories and their housing areas are being established, the 1939 biennial census information will be seriously out of date this year. If the bill S. 1627 is passed, and the first 5-year census is made in 1943, it very possibly will describe the greatest industrial year this country has ever experienced. Sucn an industrial rate could not remain stable and yet a 5-year census would necessitate using the 1943 picture as a guide for proper marketing action throughout the period 1944 to 1950. The farther we go from 1943, the more unreliable that information will become. The current of change might point toward a more frequent census if it were practical, but surely not toward a less frequent collection of this vital information. Since this biennial census is the only agency with authority to secure data on wages, value of products, etc., there will be no adequate alternative source. Your consideration of the effects of this portion of the bill on the amount of reliable information that will be available in 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1949 will be greatly appreciated. Yours truly, Hon. GUY L. MOSER, Chairman, House Census Committee, INDUSTRIAL POWER, St. Joseph, Mich., September 12, 1941. House of Representatives, Washingtor, D. C. DEAR SIR: Our attention has been directed to the fact that there is now pending before your committee House bill S. 1627 relating to a change in the frequency of the census of manufacturers. As publishers of an industrial magazine serving more than 40,000 of the finest industrial plants in America, and carrying the advertising of a great many of the leading industrial concerns, we are frequently called upon to provide marketing data and other statistical data based upon the production of manufactured items. Needless to say, we make frequent and valuable use of the Census of Manufacturers and look forward with great interest to the receipt of each new edition. It would handicap us seriously to have this placed on a 5-year basis instead of the present biennial basis for the need for this type of statistical material is much greater now than ever before. We strongly urge that your committee withhold action on this bill until an opportunity has been given to further study the extent to which the present data is used by manufacturers and publishers of industrial magazines. Thanking you in advance for your consideration of this request, we are, W. T. WATT, Vice President. Hon. GUY L. MOSER, FAIRBANKS, MORSE & Co., Chairman of the Census, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: We were amazed to learn through the publication, Industrial Marketing, of the passage of bill S. 1627 by the Senate which would place the biennial census of manufactures on a 5-year basis. We understand that the bill is before the House, and we hope that your department will give the matter further attention. We doubt that the full significance of the census of manufactures was fully realized when the Senate passed this bill. In these days of rapid market changes, a 5-year census, regardless of its completeness, would be of little value and for practical purposes in marketing could well be omitted. In view of the adjustment which will be necessary after defense work, it is particularly important that the biennial census be retained. We hope that you and your associates will confer with a representative group of industrial concerns before permitting this bill to become a law. Respectfully, FAIRBANKS, MORSE & Co., Hon. GUY L. MOSER, Advertising Manager. AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR, Chairman, House Committee on the Census, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. MY DEAR CONGRESSMAN: S. 1627, which is before your committee at the present time, makes no provision for a census of manufactures in 1941, nor for the certain collection of a biennial census of manufactures. While we would be very glad to have quinquennial census of population, the American Federation of Labor feels that it would seriously handicap us not to have annual or at least biennial data on manufactures. While we would not oppose the quinquennial census for a complete survey, I believe it essential to make specific provisions for a biennial census on a limited list of items, including total value of products, cost of materials, and supplies value added by manufacture, number of wage earners, number of salaried officers and employees, total pay rolls, number of establishments, and proprietors and firm members. There is no other way to get complete coverage except through the census surveys, and since figures for manufactures can change so drastically over a 5-year period, I feel it is particularly important to preserve the biennial count. I recognize the value of the provision in section 17 (b) for the collection of current data which may be on a sampling basis, but I believe that this cannot take the place of the complete enumeration such as we have now under the biennial census. I feel especially that it is necessary to provide definitely for a census in 1941, because the whole economy of this country has been changed since the 1939 figures were collected. To defer collection until 1943 would leave a large gap in economic data which would make many of the figures based on the census count of little use in the next few years. May I request, therefore, that the House Committee on the Census consider amending S. 1627 to provide for the regular census of manufactures in 1941 and the collection of such a limited list of items as I suggested above biennially thereafter. Sincerely yours, WM. GREEN, President, American Federation of Labor. COMBUSTION ENGINEERING CO., INC., New York, October 17, 1941. The Honorable Guy L. MOSER, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: With reference to those provisions in bills S. 1627, H. R. 5139, and H. R. 5232, which would change the taking and the issuance of the Census of Manufactures from a 2-year to a 5-year basis, I respectfully submit a protest on the grounds that the value of this census would be greatly diminished if the data were to become available at only 5-year intervals. The data contained in the manufacturers' Biennial Census have become increasingly valuable, but they are subject to quite considerable change over a period of several years and therefore their usefulness would certainly be impaired if the intervals between their collection and issuance were extended. Very truly yours, CHARLES MCDONOUGH, THE FLINTKOTE CO., INC., New York, October 17, 1941. Hon. GUY L. MOSER, Chairman, Committee on the Census, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. SIR: The pending legislation to lengthen the interval to 5 years instead of 2 between census of manufactures is, we believe, contrary to the public interest. Today facts about markets, productive capacity, etc., are more urgently needed than ever before to enable industry to function most effectively in the defense program. We hope you will lend your powerful support to the retention of these manufacturing censuses on a 2-year basis. Respectfully yours, L. ROHE WALTER, Subject: H. R. 5139 and 5232. THE INTERNATIONAL NICKEL CO., INC., Hon. GUY L. MOSER, Chairman, House Committee on the Census, House Office Building, Washington, D. C. DEAR SIR: These carry provisions which would change tke taking and the issuance of the Census of Manufactures from a 2-year to a 5-year basis and as a user of this type of census information, we wish to register a protest against the suggested change. The present Biennial Census of Manufactures has proved to be of real value in the distribution of industrial products and such vital and useful statistical data on manufacturing activity and the location of markets would be greatly impaired by any reduction in the frequency of this service. Your serious consideration of this proposed change is respectfully requested. Very truly yours, Hon. GUY L. MOSER, H. E. SEARLE, Manager, Engineering Sales. JOHNS-MANVILLE, New York, N. Y., October 17, 1941. Chairman, Commission on the Census, SIR: I understand that hearings are about to begin on bill S. 1627 which provides for the establishment of the census of manufacturers on a 5-year basis instead of biennially as at present. We have found this census to be most helpful, but we are very much afraid that if it is published at 5-year intervals much of the value will be lost. Even on a 2-year basis the rapid changes which take place in industry cause some loss of effectiveness. We realize the tremendous job involved in getting out a book as comprehensive as this one is and can appreciate why issuance at 2-year intervals may be necessary. We do hope, however, that you will decide against the extending of this period. Very truly yours, JOHNS-MANVILLE SALES CORPORATION, Assistant Sales Promotion Manager, Industrial Division. CARNEGIE-ILLINOIS STEEL CORPORATION, Hon. GUY L. MOSER, United States House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. MOSER: After studying the proposal to eliminate the biennial census of manufacturers and substitute for it a 5-year census, I have reached the conclusion that a serious error would be made. If the information, which has been made available in the 2-year-period plan, were delayed for a longer length of time, I sincerely believe that much of its advantages and usefulness would be lost. I have checked my opinion in regard to this question with our central research library, and I find that the information contained in the Biennial Census is the most frequently consulted information in the library. Post-war conditions will certainly enhance the value of the present system. Yours very truly, FRANCIS JURASCHEK, Manager, Market Research Bureau. THE CARPENTER STEEL Co., DEAR MR. MOSER: It is a fortunate coincidence that I can address you both as chairman of the House Census Committee and also as our own Representative. I am naturally very much interested in the sales of the Carpenter Steel Co.-both as they affect the fortunes of the corporation, and as they affect the employment of nearly 2,000 workers. We have more than doubled the capacity of our plant and the number on our pay roll in order to take care of defense demands for the high-grade steels that we make. What are we going to do with all this capacity and all these workers when the defense effort is over and we get back to normal times? It is obvious that if we are going to bring to Berks County twice as much business as we have been securing during the past years, we are going to have to find a lot of new markets that we have never enjoyed before. This is the primary purpose, of course, of the National Census of Manufactures. |