NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD

252 THIRD ANNUAL REPORT OF NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD
of this material was ordinarily initiated for a particular case, its more
general application usually called for the expansion of the original
case work into a research* memorandum useful in all similar cases.
These memoranda were distributed to the staff members of the Board
for their information. They are subjected to frequent revision by
the inclusion of additional information that comes to the Division's
attention.
To facilitate the research of the Division, a reference section was
engaged in the development and maintenance of a library, and filing
system. The major portion of one staff member's time was devoted
to following current literature in fields related to the subjects of
research, and communication with other governmental agencies, universities,
employers' and labor organizations, research groups, and
other sources; for copies of their publications and releases. This literature
and current newspapers are continually received, examined,
filed or clipped, and notations made of their contents. They are
circulated among the economic and legal staff members, as required.
The reference section also assisted the research staff in the direct
response to a growing number of requests for specific information
from the Board staff, from other governmental agencies, and, with
appropriate limitation, from the general public.
Typical requests include : an inquiry of a regional attorney on the
meaning of a technical term used in processing of wool; an inquiry
of a review attorney on the exact name and affiliation of a local union
in Wichita identified by a vague description; a request from the
Board for an analysis of the relation of the Board's work to fluctuation
in the number of industrial disputes, for submission to a Conaressional
committee-
'
a request of the Publications Division for a
''statistical analysis of Board certifications, by national affiliation of
contesting unions ,• an inquiry of a graduate student on the meaning
of the preferential shop; a request of an economist for a criticism of
parts of a proposed book touching on the problems of the Board.
There wFts a continuing increase in the interest in the Board's work
as shown by communication from the public. To an extent determined
by the nature of the request and the limitation of personnel,
the Divison, complied with the many requests for information. In
other cases, bibliographies were drawn up indicating the best sources
to which the correspondent could directly refer Among these bibliographies
. were : Closed Shop, Union-Management Co-operation,
Compulsory Arbitration Employers Anti-Union Activities, Labor
Relations, Insecurity and Low Wages, Lumber Industry, Meat Packing
Industry, The National Labor Relations Board. Over two thousand
copies of the last named bibliography were distributed in
response to specific request for material on the Board.
SOURCES OF THE DIVISION'S RESEARCH
The sources upon which the staff relies for its work in the various
types of research are of course beyond enumeration, and in each new
problem it is the responsibility of the economist in charge to make
sure that all available and appropriate sources have been examined.
The only general considerations are admissibility in evidence or
susceptibility to judicial notice, where the information is required