With a card-index file of curves and a record department like that described in this chapter, it should be possible for any trained man coming into a corporation as a new director or new official to give a fairly intelligent vote after only half a day's study of the curves, and this too without having spoken a single word to anyone. If the record department and the curves are properly kept, the whole situation would be shown on the face of the cards with far more clearness than it would ordinarily be possible to give by words alone, even if the whole history and present status of the corporation were told.

Consider the value of a record department like that suggested, if such a department were part of the equipment of the mayor's office of any city. The department could be maintained continuously by civilservice employees who could keep the records in standardized form year after year, no matter what shake-ups there might be in political parties and in spite of the numerous changes in personnel usual when one set of city officers follow another with great rapidity. In mvmicipal work there would be no necessity for keeping any except the original curve cards under lock and key, as all the information would be public property and, of course, available to properly authorized persons. It would certainly make a great difference to any new mayor if he could

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go to a record room and study a set of curves showing, for instance, the total number of men in the employ of the city year after year under different administrations. He would be able to see over a period of years the number of men in each city department such as fire, police, street-cleaning, etc., together with the average rate of pay.