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AUG 5 - '• • !:ti81TY No-4---65 c.itUIARY _T_H_E_,_w_·_o_R_Kc_S_ __;;.P~R O G R A M Wor:rn P1'£3ress Admi~1ist1·ation For release in afternoon papers Thursday, August 1, 1935. coordinating Committee of Central Statistical Board and WPA guides research. In order thn.t the greatest value may be secured from hundreds of "white-collar" research and statistical projects of the Works Progress Ad.ministration, a central boE:.rd of review has been set up representing jointly the Central Statistical Board and the Works Progress Ad.ministration to pass upon surveys :proposed by Federal, State, and local governmental agencies 3.!ld other ~ublic bodies, Corrington Gill, Assistant Works Progress Administrator, rm1ounced today. This board of review, which operates as a central clearing house, ls known as the Coordinating Committee of the Central Statistical Board and the lorks Progress Administration. The Committee includes: Theodore J. Kreps, :hairm.an, Professor of Business Economics at Sta.VJ.ford University nnd formerly lhief of the Statistics Section of the National Recovery Ad.ministration; [oweU Cheney, Chairman of the Board of the Cheney Mills; Robert P. Lane, :xecutive Secretary of the Welfare Council of New York City, and Theodore 0. ntema, Professor of Business Statist:lcs and Accounting at the University of hicago. Ex-offico members of the Committee are: Mr. Gill, W. J. Carson, cting Executive Secretary of the Central Statistical Board; and Charles W. liot II, Executive Officer, national Resources Committee. The Coordinating Committee will pass upon and coordinate statisicnl surveys and other research projects included in the new Works Program, ill muke recommendations to the Advisory Committee on Allotments, ruid, after 1c projects have been approved and are in oper~tion, the Gaff will supervise their progress in the field. comittee and its All such projects proposed r Federal, State, and local agencies will come under review by the committee. The committee has already passed upon and approved the following ~ojects, which, with the committee's recommendation, have had the approval '. the Allotment Board: Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 1:JJ: 4--65 -2- TOTAL TITLE SPONSORING AGENCY BUDGET census of Business Enterprise-1935 ..• $7,784,ooo Bureau of the Census Alphabetical Index of Census of 1900 . ................•............ Bureau of the Census StJ.tistical Analysis and Compilation of Income Tax Returns ......•..••..• 1,200,000 Public Employment and Payroll Statistics- (To obtain index of Govt. employment and payrolls. ) .••. 434,500 Occupational Research Progro.m •......• 400,000 U.S. Employment Service 1934-35 • •... • • ... • ..•........• 293,000 Bureau of the Census Indoxing, etc. of Material in the Library of Congress •....•.•.•...... 43,160 Library of Congress Treasury Bureau of Labor Statistics Sample Survey of Retail Trade in June Other important Federal projects are now before the committee for consideratio:1. A number of other important agencies are also in prospect. surveys to be conducted by Federal In addition there is a considerable number of State and local projects that under consideration. Statistical and research survey projects will form an important part :if the program for the considerable number of unemployed "white-colla.r" workers r,ho are now on relief. Projects of this kind provide one of the most suitable neans of employment for this group of tr2.ined workers. At the so.me time they )ffer a means of obtaining informa.tion of real public interest which in many :ases will afford essential guidance to public agencies in formulating policy. Mr. Gill pointed out that with the growing complexity of modern nchine civilization, heightened by the derangements brought on by the depression, 1 .ncreasing reliance has been put upon statistics and research. "If we are to gain accurate knowledge", he said, "we must recognize ,he key importance of technical research. It is obvious thc.t before we can .evise broad :policies affecting remote individuals we must know what we o.rc .oing. Manifes~ly, we must have expert □ to guard the integrity and plan he intelligent use of the social and economic facts we discover." Mr. Gill stressed the importance of placing a minimum burden upon Usiness and other interests from whom statistics are obtained, and also the Ill.porta.ncc of careful advance planning for work of this kind. "It is particularly necessary that there be no duplication in these urveys," he said. "Probably no greater source of irritation can arise than hat of a business firm being cnlled upon by two or more persons, one a repre- 4--65 -3the so.me information. Also, in house-to-hous13 surveys we want to prevent a corps of door- bell ringers making tho SLllle calls. Through co.reful pla.nning, sctutiny and coordination by this committee and its staff, we can insure practical results and a maxj_mun of working efficiency. 111 White-collar1 workers engaged in statistical, survey, and research projects will contribute toward an understanding and control of the very economic forces responsible for their plight. The opportunity exists to ob- tain practical results of major significance and enduring importance." The two ngencics--the Central Statistical Board and the Works Progress Administration--have set up this Coordinating CoL'Jillittee to act as the agent of both primarily concerned. in the coordination and effective operation of these statistical, research, and informational projects. The Central Statistical Board has been given the mandate by statute to bring about coordination in this fi.eld so that stc.tistical information will be obtained with u. miniJnum illilount of burden to the respondents. The Central Statistical Board is authorized by Act just passed by Congress "to plan and promote the improvement, development, and. coordina.t ion of, and elimination of duplication in, statistical services carried on by or subject to the supervision of the Federal Govermnent, and, so far as may be practic.able, of other statistical services in the tJnited States." Similarly, so far as the special projects to be completed in the Works Program are concerned, the Works Progress Ad.ministration ts required by Executive Order No. 7034, to "provide for the coordination of such data compiling projects as form a part of the work relief program and of such p0rtions of other research activities as may be necessary or useful in carrying out such program." The work of the Coordinating Committee falls into two parts. first The·· is that of technically appraising plans and. evaluating statistical feasibility of the projects. The second is giving expert guidance and technical assistance in the field to sponsors of projects. The committee will have the assistance of a number of experts from the staff of the Central Statistical Board. In addition, the former Federal Coordinator of Statistical projects Q~der the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, and his staff and a number of experienced field investigators have been detailed by the Works Progress Administration to the committee to assist in the work of field supervision and investigation. Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 4--65 -4- Of primary assistance in coordinating local statistical, survey, ~d research projects are the State Statistical Coordinators, who have been appointed in all but a few States by the State Works Progress Administrators. These coordinators help to prepare statistical projects, give special guidance to local sponsors, and assume general responsibility for the articulation of irojects into a consistent program. They forward all projects directly for review to the Coordinating Committee, which has the national responsibility if d0 vetailing into a well- balanced whole the var:i.ous Federal and State projects. 000000000000000 Digitized by Original from NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
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