Title: Statistical Controls and the Regulation of Air Cargo
Abstract: The functioning of a regulatory agency is increasingly dependent upon adequate statistical work by its staff. The broad trend of social and economic legislation which was gaining momentum since the last quarter of the nineteenth century required factual information regarding economic problems. Economics was emerging from the era of descriptive philosophic essays into the scientifically objective era of quantitative studies, with mathematics and statistics becoming the chief tools of investigation. The quest for facts became a strong drive, permeating practically all facets of economic legislation. The courts were attuning themselves more and more to the importance of reliable factual data as the basis for decisions. The Brandeis way of preparation of cases for litigation and of brief-writing took a strong hold on a substantial proportion of lawyers. The administrators of the numerous regulatory commissions required factual materials as the basis to place their actions above the level of capriciousness and arbitrariness on the one hand, and on the other hand to give their actions the stamp of the new respectability. Ideally the work of a statistician in a regulatory agency begins when a need has arisen to find an answer to the question: what is wrong with a given situationi.e., definition of the problem situation, its scope and significance. Then follows the question: what do we need to know to work out some means of solving the problem-i.e., development of the factual basis of data pertinent to the problem. Then several alternate plans are formulated and statistics are relied upon to evaluate dte probable end-results of each of the alternative solutions. After the best plan is decided upon, a directive is formulated to put it in operation. The job of a statistician up to that point is only half done. The statistician must develop a system of continuous check on the working out of that directive, that is, means of continuous control of the operations under that directive. And finally, he must make provision for periodic evaluation of the results of operations in terms of their achieving the desired ends. The statistician is not a policy maker. He is a tool of an administrator, who in turn works within the framework of the broad objectives laid down by the specific organic acts passed by the legislature. At the time organic acts for establishment of