CO129-573-5 Formation of statistical Branch of the Secretariat 20-4-1938 - 13-10-1938 — Page 21

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(4)

As far as the purely theoretical work is concerned some months have already been spent in study of the various recommend-

ed textbooks. The gulf between published statistics and theoretic-

al statistics is widebut in certain directions (e.g. Index

Numbers) the theoretical work is being continued pari passu

with the practical investigation. It is considered that even

where divergence between statistical theory and practical

presentation of statistics to the public is widest the former

may still be of some value in cases where the interpretation

of statistics as a guidance to policy is involved rather than

the collection and publication of statistics for general

information.

Melvin Shank