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Show Family Weekly September 21, 1969 Invade Our Privacy? says "Yes," and the retiring director of the Census, who says "No" By A. ROSS ECKLER Director, Bureau of the Census, A of FOR dynamic example of the peo- ple, by the people, for the people," one need look no further than the decennial U.S. Census of 1970. Every household will be asked to take part by filling out its own form for the Census office, which is sworn to keep the information confidential, so that we, the people, may know our numbers, our standards of living, and our needs. We citizens of the U.S. have set as one of our goals a job for everyone, so the Census asks about jobs and unemployment. Another goal is decent housing for all; Census asks about the age and quality of housing including the presence of plumbing. As a nation, we are dedicated to improved and widespread education, so the Census has questions about age and education. One of our major enemies is poverty; the Census asks about income, to locate the pockets of poverty. In order to know about us, it's necessary to ask questions of you. At the same time, it is proper for citizens to consider the matter of privacy and the extent of the burden the Census will impose. I therefore welcome the opportunity to respond to questions raised by Family Weekly. Why so many questions? The average family or household will answer fewer questions in 1970 than in any Census of the past 100 years. Four families in five will answer only 23 questions. Our tests show the average household can answer this "short form" in about 15 minutes. One household in five will receive a longer questionnaire, requiring 45 minutes to answer. Every item in the questionnaire is included because the information is needed by a Government agency to guide important programs in the public interest and for local areas. 1965-6- 9 NO Why do some questions go into such personal detail? The need for the information is great, and the intrusion on personal privacy is very small. All answers are held in strict confidence by the Census Bureau and will be used only for statistical purposes. Why has the Census Bureau opposed bills in Congress to provide voluntary answers to most questions? Why should there be penalties for refusing to answer them? If each person or household were given the option to decide which questions he would answer, the statistics for many areas would be of doubtful accuracy. Thus, approving Congressional bills for voluntary answers would prove defeating. Because Census statistics are used to guide the distribution of several billion dollars in Government funds each year, eliminating penalties could result in a great waste of monpeey and manpower over a riod. The penalty provision requires only that people answer the applicable questions to the best of their ability and provides penalties only for willful refusal or falsification. No one has gone to jail to date for failure to cooperate in the Census, and there have been very few fines I know of only two. The law is needed for those people who might be tempted to shirk even this very light duty. It works well. Why has the Census Bureau allegedly resisted changes in procedures recommended by Congress? On the contrary, the Census Bureau has been guided at all times by the recommendations of the Subcommittee on Census .and Statistics of the House Post Office and Civil Se.vice Committee. Census plans, in their formative state, were presented to the subcommittee and reviewed intensively during 1966 and 1967, and changes were made accordingly. As a result of more recent discussions, the percentage of households 10-ye- ar to receive the long questionnaire has been reduced from 25 to 20 percent. Questions about bathroom and kitchen facilities have been reworded to avoid the impression that the purpose is to learn identities of others who might use these facilities. Also, a question has been added to learc the number of persons of Spanish descent and how many of these are of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, or Latin American origin. How does the Census really serve the public rather than Government and private-industr-y fact uaers? I would not minimize the benefit that the public receives indirectly. Anyone who drives is likely to see a sign reporting the population of a particular town. Virtually every home reference book includes population statistics from the last Census and its most recent estimates. The news media explore such trends as "the population explosion," "the westward migration," or "the booming suburbs" all based on the latest Census figures. The major purpose of the Census, however, is to provide data needed by Government programs. No questions are included that would serve only commercial interests. What safeguards are there for being sure the Census counts the people who do not return their questionnaires by mail? Only in large metropolitan areas are households asked to return their questionnaires by mail. For these areas the Census Bureau has estabd lished a complete, list triple-checke- of all housing units by specific addresses. It will check off the returns and then send census takers to collect the remaining forms. Tests, however, show that most forms will be mailed in. The resources saved as a result will be used in an intensive follow-u- p to complete the Census. This procedure yields more thorough counts than any other. Outside the major metropolitan areas, census takers will make a canvass to obtain the forms. Why were there no representatives of citizens groups, civil liberd ties, patriotic or other organizations at meetings to discuss plans for the Census? There were representatives of such organizations at many of the meetings. The Census Bureau took part in about 24 regional meetings throughout the U.S. in 1966 to discuss subjects and procedures for the Census. Because these were public meetings, any interested persons or organizations were welcome to express their ideas. In addition, special meetings were held with representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union, religious and ethnic groups, and many others. house-to-hou- se people-oriente- Your name and address will be omitted when computer puts facta on tape. Family Weekly, September 11,1969 9 |