THE PAPER EXPLOSION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00450R000100260034-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 11, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 1999
• Sequence Number: 34
• Publication Date: October 26, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

' v
ILLEGI~-LEGIB
ILLEGIB
SETH T(3N POST
The Paper Exp) oosi? 6 OCT 1966
One of the most ' optimistic footnotes to the
current news is that Washington is in less danger
of being engulfed in its mountains of paper. A
report by Chairman Robert N. C. Nix of the House
Subcommittee on Census and Statistics assures us
that the' perils from obsolete and overextended
files are, riot, as great as they were a few years
ago. In some measure the avalanche of directives,
reports, forms, memos and reviews has yielded to
scientific management. But the comfort that may
be derived from the report is still marginal.
Paper-pushing remains a dominant Federal pro-
occnpalio r. A 'larr;e part of the Lirtre of ,ail C;ovinrn-
rrmeat ea1p!rrye!; is given Ln it. 'I'ho Nix r `n omiLLee
e;;tinraLes the cost of thins palrrrwo.:k at $8 billion.
It requires 360,000 different forms. Federal direc-
tives alone run to 2.6 million pages a year. Another
phase of the paper escalation may be seen in the
fact that President Franklin Roosevelt received
140,000 letters a year; President Kennedy, 307,312;
and President Johnson receives 825,750.
The improvements have come largely in the
more efficient housing of records and in stepped-
up disposal. The Federal Records Centers have
saved immense sums because they provide storage
space at 21 cents per cubic foot instead of $3.85
per cubic foot of records in offices. Even so, the
Committee found a vast surplusage of records still
cluttering offices. Far too many records are still
designated as permanent. Too many permanent
records are intermixed with temporary files, and
much of the temporary. stuff is kept beyond the
period of conceivable usefulness.
Let no one suppose that the choking of govern-
ment with surplus paper, concerns only bureau-
crats. Aside from the enormous cost of filing and
storing the endless output of documents, govern-
mental efficiency is impaired, by the loss of really
useful data in the paper wilderness. And a vast
number of the forms and reports that are hoarded
.by government agencies are made out by citizens
and business establishments. One of the foremost
recommendations of the Nix Committee is that
"the burden of paperwork imposed on the citizens
by our Government should be greatly reduced."
It is good to know that the National Archives
and Records Service. of the GSA is continuing a
determined assault on the blizzards of paper and
that a congressional committee is watchful. An
alert public will also be necessary if, the menace
of. suffocation by paper is to be turned back.
 Approved For Release 1999/09/16 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100260034-7
'i .paper Explosion
One, of the most optimistic footnotes to the
current news is that Washington is in less danger
of being engulfed in its mountains of paper. A
report by Chairman Robert N. C. Nix of the House
Subcommittee on Census and Statistics assures us
that the perils from obsolete and overextended
files are not as great as they were a few years
ago. In some measure the avalanche of directives,
reports, forms, memos and reviews has yielded to
scientific management. But the comfort that may
be derived from the report is still marginal.
Paper-pushing remains a dominant Federal pre-
occupation. A large part of the time of all Govern-
ment employes is given to it, The Nix Committee
estimates the cost of'-this paperwork at $8 billion.
It requires 360,000 different forms. Federal direc-
tives alone run to 2.6 million pages a year. Another
phase of the paper escalation may be seen in the
fact that President Franklin Roosevelt received
140,000 letters a year; President Kennedy, 307,312;
and President Johnson receives 825,750.
The improvements have come largely in the
more efficient housing of records and in stepped-
up disposal. The Federal Records Centers have
saved immense sums because they provide storage
space at 21 cents per cubic foot instead of $3.85
per cubic foot of records in offices. Even so, the
Committee found a vast surplusage of records still
cittering offices. Far too many records are still
designated as permanent. Too many permanent
records are intermixed with temporary files, and
much of the temporary stuff is kept beyond the
period of conceivable usefulness.
Let no one suppose that the choking of govern-
ment with surplus paper concerns only bureau-
crats. Aside from the enormous cost of filing and
storing the endless output of documents, govern-
mental efficiency is impaired by the loss of really
useful data in the paper wilderness. And a vast
AtU fiber of the forms and reports that are hoarded
by government agencies are made out by citizens
and business establishments. One of the foremost
recommendations of the Nix Committee is that
"the burden of paperwork imposed on the citizens
by our Government should be greatly reduced."
,It is good to know that the National Archives
and Records Service of the GSA is continuing a
determined assault on the blizzards of paper and
that a congressidnal committee is watchful. An
alert public will also be necessary if the menace
of suffocation by paper is to be turned back.
ILLEGIB
Approved For Release 1999/09/16 : CIA-RDP72-0045OR000100260034-7