Digit Dearth

In the matrix department of a type- setting machine there are only one-half as many matrices (type molds) for zeros as there are for the letter "e." Ordinarily that supply is ample for run-of-mill newspaper copy. But since the New Deal, newspaper copy has been anything but ordinary. It deals glibly in millions, billions of Federal appropriations, relief expenditures, debts, tax receipts, budget estimates. A dozen lines of a Washington dispatch may contain close to 100 ciphers.

In Manhattan last week Intertype Corp., makers of typesetting machines, revealed an unprecedented demand by newspaper composing rooms for extra supplies of cipher matrices. One Manhattan daily lately put in a hurry call for more ciphers, found Intertype completely out of stock. Eager to help out a customer, the factory put out of commission some of its own typesetting machines, extracted the ciphers, rushed them to the rescue.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.