426 ANNUAL. REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



live-stock production, plus the carry-over from one season to another 

 in this and other countries, which it is the function of the Bureau of 

 Crop Estimates to estimate, and that the total crop and live-stock pro- 

 duction in the United States has an aggregate value of more than 

 $20,000,000,000 annually, and the further fact that the increase of 

 $500,000 required to expand and improve the crop-reporting and 

 statistical service represents a tax of less than one-half cent per 

 capita, it is hoped that Congress and the public will realize that the 

 relatively small appropriation required to put into effect a greatly 

 enlarged program for supplying information regarding the essential 

 facts of production and supply is an investment promising large 

 returns and the benefits from such additional service will far out- 

 weigh the cost. 



LOYAL SERVICE OF EMPLOYEES. 



I can not close this report without referring to the loyal service 

 of the employees of the bureau who have continued to f)erform their 

 various duties through the war period and since, faithfully and effi- 

 ciently, notwithstanding the fact that their salaries have remained 

 on a prewar basis while the cost of living has more than doubled 

 and salaries in private employment have increased correspondinglj^ 

 When it is remembered that prewar salaries were in many instances 

 much too low in comparison with positions involving similar duties 

 and responsibilities in private employment and that the purchasing 

 power of these salaries is now reduced one-half, one can appreciate 

 the hardship and sacrifice involved in remaining in the Government 

 service. While some employees of the Bureau of Crop Estimates 

 have resigned to accept much higher salaries elsewhere, it is believed 

 that few branches of the public service have come through the trying 

 times of the last three years with such a small loss of personnel. This 

 is due largely to the appreciation which employees of the Bureau of 

 Crop Estimates have of their responsibility to the public service, 

 their belief in the value of the crop reporting and statistical service 

 to the public, and especially to agriculture, and their faith that the 

 value of this service will be recognized and appreciated by the public 

 in the not distant future, and that with such recognition will come 

 a<lequate financial support for further expansion and usefulness. 



