Thanks for converting the Sec. Stans letter. Despite Joe Reid's recommendation, I doubt that you'd find any of the 1971 NBS reports at your local GPO Book Store. My first recommendation for a source of the full report (with its 12 supporting reports) might be at your nearest state repository library. This might be the nearest large university library. Any local library should be able to research your state's repository library collection to determine if a copy (or copies) are in the library's collection.
If you find a source for a paper copy of the report it will probably be a reference copy which you will not be able to take out of the library. However, some older documents like that might have been microfiched and if you can get a copy of the microfiche, then you could make copies from that.
We have not had extra copies of the report in our historical "library" for years. The full report is probably hundreds of pages. Each individual report is less than a centimeter thick, so I doubt that any report is over 100 pages. Joes Reid's reply in [USMA:10705] RE: "Metric America: A Decision Whose Time Has Come" gives you an idea of the topic covered in each report.
Jim McCracken
At 10:15 AM 1/28/01 -0700, Dennis Brownridge wrote:
Is the important 1971 NBS document, "Metric America: A Decision Whose Time
Has Come" on the web anywhere, or can anyone supply me with a copy of it, at
my cost? I've looked in vain for it at our local libraries.
In USMA 10658, Jim McCracken attached a .pcx image of the document's
transmittal letter, which Joe Reid referred to in USMA 10691, by Maurice
Stans, President Nixon's Secretary of Commerce. For those unable to convert
that attachment, I reproduce the entire text of Stans' important letter
below. Incidentally, Stans was involved in the Watergate scandal that
brought down the Nixon administration. I can't remember his exact role or
whether he actually did prison time, but I think it involved paying bribes.
As a curiosity, I once met Mr. Stans when I did some carpentry work in his
ornate bedroom closet in Pasadena, California. I remember he had row upon
row of expensive suits and that he was quite haughty and imperious. I still
have a fancy chest of drawers where he kept his underwear, that he had me
rip out. So US metrication was officially put in motion by a haughty crook
with pressed underwear! But what a shame it never happened as he outlined!
-----------------------
U.S. Department of Commerce
Office of the Secretary
Washington, D.C. 20230
[undated; 1971?]
THE HONORABLE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
THE HONORABLE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SIRS:
I have the honor to transmit to you the Report on the U.S. Metric Study,
which was conducted by the National Bureau of Standards of the Department of
Commerce.
Thousands of individuals, firms and organized groups, representative of our
society, participated in the Study. After weighing the extensive evidence
presented by these participants, this report concludes that the United
States should change to the metric system through a coordinated national
program.
I agree with this conclusion, and therefore recommend
- That the United States change to the International Metric System
deliberately and carefully;
- That this be done through a coordinated national program;
- That the Congress assign the responsibility for guiding the change, and
anticipating the kinds of special problems described in the report, to a
central coordinating body responsive to all sectors of our society;
- That within this guiding framework, detailed plans and timetables be
worked out by these sectors themselves;
- That early priority be given to educating every American schoolchild and
the public at large to think in metric terms;
- That immediate steps be taken by the Congress to foster U.S.
participation in international standards activities;
- That in order to encourage efficiency and minimize the overall costs to
society, the general rule should be that any changeover costs shall "lie
where they fall";
- That the Congress, after deciding on a plan for the nation, establish a
target date ten years ahead, by which time the U.S. will have become
predominately, though not exclusively, metric;
- That there be a firm government commitment to this goal.
The Department of Commerce stands ready to provide whatever further
assistance the Congress may require in working out a national plan and
putting it into effect.
Respectfully submitted,
Maurice H. Stans
Secretary of Commerce
