U.S. METRIC STUDY ON INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00988R000400060048-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 26, 1999
• Sequence Number: 48
• Content Type: OPEN

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U.S. METR;C STUDY REPOR"r ON3
t! INIFANATIOMAL STANDARDS
Practical constraints limit the alternative courses of action to a very few
and the target sectors to a small but reasonable number. This is in ac-
cordance with the intent of the Congress, as expressed in the legislative his-
tory of the Metric Study Act.
THE ALTERNATIVES
Alternative One is for the government to do nothing, which means in this
case, to allow events to develop with no overt formal action to alter the pat-
tern of voluntary adjustments now emerging. As we have seen, this pattern
is leading to limited metrication and must be considered as a course of ac-
tion, certainly feasible, leading to metrication.
Another possibility, but not to be entertained, is to arrange for some man-
dated action to reverse the trend toward metrication, in favor of a return to
more complete use of "customary" hardware and software. Since this would
be impractical, to say the least, and would further isolate the United States
from the rest of the world, it is believed neither desirable nor worthy of seri-
ous attention. In fact, brief preliminary examination of this possibility
brought forth no discerning body of opinion in support of such action. At the
conclusion of the preliminary phase, therefore, it was dropped from further
consideration.
In writing the Metric Bill, the Congress was careful to avoid giving the im-
pression that instantaneous mandatory conversion was contemplated. No
nation that has undergone a metric transition has ever accomplished it in that
manner. We do not believe that instantaneous mandatory conversion is a
policy alternative that requires serious study and therefore have not included
this possibility as an alternative to be studied.
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a change on a national level, i.e., to change according to a coordinated na-
tional plan. Two conversion periods merit attention: ten years and "op-
timum," and these lead to alternatives two and three.
Alternative Tivo: Consider a coordinated national program of metrication,
designed to be completed over a 10-year period. Ten years has been se-
lected arbitrarily, but is the period adopted by the British and Australians
as the appropriate timetable for this process. New Zealand has opted for 7
years.
Alternative Three: Consider a coordinated national program scheduled at
the "optimum" rate. Since many sectors of the economy are deeply inter-
locked with respect to materials, components, and software, and each may
find a different time scale to be a suboptimization of the total economy, the
determination of an "optimum" conversion period is a difficult problem to
solve. Accordingly, the study plan requires each affected sector of the
economy to try to estimate what would be the optimum time scale for it to
convert, on the assumption that other sectors of the economy have made the
necessary changes to permit orderly conversion by the sector in question.
The Study seeks quantitative cost information from selected manufac-
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turers with respect to metrication in the two time frames indicated, with an
expectation that the data will allow some qualitative judgment about the rela-
tive merits and costs of different rates of metrication.
These three alternatives comprise the set to be used in the Study. They all
involve metrication in some degree and are thus subject to the criticism of
being focused too much on metrication. The fact is, however, that this nation
has been part metric for more than 100 years and is steadily increasing its
metric usage. in the absence of contrary overt action, indications are that it
will continue to do so, although sporadically and hesitantly, in the absence
of a commitment by the rest of the society to join in the change.
The sectors of our society in which the benefits and costs of these three al-
ternatives are to be assessed include, but are not limited to:
(1) Manufacturing Industry
(2) Nonmanufacturing firms
(3) Department of Defense
(4) Federal Agencies other than military
(5) International Trade
(6) Commercial Weighing and Measuring activities
(7) State and Local Governments
(8) Educational System
(9) Citizens in general and as consumers
(10) Labor
(11) Engineering Standards
Should significant facts or opinions emerge to indicate the need to incor-
porate other cross sections of our society, these will be incorporated if time
and other circumstances permit.
As a practical matter, the Study has been structured into fourteen major
activities, essentially related to the sectors of the society listed above, and
whose description follows, with an indication of their present status (Octo-
ber 1, 1970).
1. A general survey of the manufacturing industry through a sample of al-
most 4,000 firms. The questionnaire used in this general survey asks
questions with respect to the current and anticipated use of metric units and
metric based standards, advantages and disadvantages to the firm of an as-
sumed program of national metrication, and the firm's positions on possible
international and domestic competition and other views regarding metrica-
tion.
2. Special cost analyses by over 150 manufacturing firms that have volun-
teered to estimate, under specified assumptions in a hypothetical program of
metrication, the net costs of metrication to them. Each of these cost analyses
will try to estimate the net costs with respect to such factors as personnel
education; engineering, research, and associated documentation: manufac-
turing and quality control; records and accounting; standards activities;
warphousin: and sales and services.
3. A random-sarnple survey by telephone interview of some 3,000 non-
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U.S. METRIC SIUov RLI'OR7 ON iNILRNATKUNAL STANDARDS
manufacturing firms, ranging from agricultural establishments to financial in-
stitutions. The questions in this survey differ from those in the survey of
manufacturing firms because of the obvious differences in the activities of
such firms, but are nevertheless designed to elicit information with respect
to the key issues of the U.S. Metric Study.
4. An intensive study by the Department of Defense of the metric study
issues in terms of defense readiness and other national security considera-
tions. In brief, the Department of Defense is attempting to estimate the cost
of maintaining constant mission capability during an assumed 10-year metri-
cation period and to identify the advantages and disadvantages that may be
experienced during and after that period.
5. A survey of some 35 Federal agencies, other than the Department of
Defense, to determine the effects of alternative courses of action on the
operations of these agencies, as well as on their areas of national responsi-
bility. This survey will try to assemble data as to which Federal agencies use
the metric system and to what extent, which of them plan to increase metric
usage voluntarily irrespective of any national decision regarding metrication,
what the effects would be on agency missions should such a decision be
made and put into effect, and what the probable effects would be on the area
of national activity (e.g., transportation) for which the agency is responsible.
6. A special study of international trade, which is being conducted by
the Bureau of Domestic Commerce of the Department of Commerce.
This inquiry will be addressed to over 750 firms that are engaged in the
international trade of manufactured products that are "measurement sen-
sitive"-i.e., are more likely to be affected by differences in measurement
practices and engineering standards than are, for example, shipments of bulk
goods such as grain. Three broad classes of data will be sought. First,
questions will be asked as to the foreign operations of the firm. Next, firms
will be asked to try to rank the factors that influence international trade, such
as superior quality of product, more advanced technology, better financing,
better servicing, and to compare these factors with whatever influence a dif-
ferent measurement system may have on exports and imports. Finally, the
respondents in this survey will be asked to predict the magnitude of their in-
ternational trade activities in 1975 under two different assumptions for com-
parison: the United States as still "customary" (inch-pound) versus the
United States as a "metric" (meter-kilogram) country.
7. An analysis of the history of metric debate in this country, which is ex-
pected to provide valuable insights. This analysis will provide a historical
review (1866-1968) of the legislative activities pertaining to proposals to in-
troduce the metric system into the United States, highlight the campaigns
waged by pro- and anti-metric factions during the period, and examine the
consequences of these campaigns.
8. A study of commercial weighing and measuring activities at the State
and local level and of the problems of converting devices in this field. The
purpose of this study will be to estimate the cost of adapting or replacing
commercial weighing and measuring devices to record in metric units, deter-
mine the practical difficulties that would be experienced in such a chan-
geover, and identify ways and means by which these difficulties could be
minimized or at least substantially reduced.
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