A Letter From The Department of Commerce

From The American Horologist magazine, May 1946

A Letter From The Department of Commerce 

Editor, The American Horologist:

May I ask your assistance in putting before your readers a request for their cooperation in an undertaking of great importance to American industry? 

The Office of the Publication Board and the War Department are about to begin a complex and difficult operation: the selection and the microfilming in Germany of data that may be valuable to American science and industry.

This combing of German technical documents is the second phase of work begun by the Technical Industrial Intelligence Committees. TIlC coordinated the work of teams of experts drawn from industry who made surveys of each industrial field in Germany immediately after fighting ceased. These experts, loaned by industry for a few weeks or months, were usually unable to make a detailed study of the documents uncovered by their investigations.

There are many tons of these documents, and to review them will require months of work by qualified technicians. We know that these documents contain priceless information. TIle investigators found many new formulas, products and processes which American industry is already beginning to use. Like the TII 0 reports, copies of German documents deemed to be of value will be made available to the public through this Office at the cost of reproduction.

1. What Does Industry Want?

We want industries and scientific groups to suggest specific information that should be sought. Write to us describing this material. It would be helpful to have any suggestions as to where valuable documents might be found, and what industries in Germany might posses information not now available.

II. We Need Industry's Help in Recruiting Personnel.

Qualified technicians in a number of industrial fields are needed to carry on the work of searching German files. Routine work will be done by German civilians but qualified American technicians are indispensable for the all important job of supervision and selection.

Technical men are needed in the following fields: chemicals, aeronautics, automotive, machine tools, general industrial equipment, fuels and lubricants, metals and minerals, communications equipment, scientific instruments, shipbuilding, and textiles. A knowledge of technical German is essential.
Appointments are subject to Civil Service approval and are made for a minimum of six months.
We ask that your readers suggest the names of any individuals who might be interested in this work.

John O. Green, 

Executive Secretary.