The Washington times., 1911-08-17

4
| responsibility. | asked DR.. Bigelow to
negotiate with DR.. Rusby and get the
| best terms possible. ] did not instruct
DR.. Kebler to negotiate in the matter,
he would be asked an opinion as to
the qualifications of the proposed ap-
| pointee.
But DR.. Bigelow would attend to
| had no communication ct all with Dr.
Rusby in the matter, though l regard
| him as absolutely the best equipped
man in the country for that position" d"
The food and drug board. DR.. Wiley
said. was to pass on all questions that
were finally subject to the decision CT
| the Secretary. Representative French
wanted to know about the practicable
ity of the mixed law and scientific
| beard. He wanted to know If the
chemists should not probably pass on
scientific matters, while the law officers
| sIould pass on all law matters and
| finally decide about prosecution.
| That plan might work out" said DIR.
| Wiley, eff the two sets Of men were in
| sympathy and able to work harmon
| iously. It would not succeed while the
| present antagonisms prevail"
Then Mr.. French wanted to know
| about Wiley attending meetings of
| scientific conventions.
' Il have never been enjoined from at
tending such gatherings" replied Dr.
| Wiley, but the Secretary has imposed
on me the condition that I should not
| make any expression about merits of
questions pending before the referee
board. The Secretary has allowed ex-
penses Of a representation Of the bu-
reau to attend the purely scientific
| gatherings, and to have their expenses
| paid, wholly or partly"
No Discrimination.
There has been no discrimination
| against your bureau in this matter?'
None that l know Of
Representative Sloan OF Nebraska. a
strong Administration supporter and
| antagonist of Wiley, took the witness.
The members of the Remsen board
are of high scientific standing are
they?"
"Oh, yes"
Command confidence of scientific au-
thorities?"
We'll. they did before their recent de-
cisiOns in the cases referred to them"
replied the doctor grimly, amid burst
of laughter.
That is" went on Representative
Sloan, after these decisions they stood
worse with people who disagreed, and
better with those who agreed with their
decisions?"
They stood good deal better with
the food poisoners, anyhow" retorted
DR.. Wiley sharply, while the laugh
vert around again.
But you regard them as capable
and honest men and scientists, do you
not?"
oh. yes. but you must remember
that they did not personally make those
Investigations, as of saccharin and
be4zoate. They delegated the studies
should Know the list of these. Some Of
them good and capable men, too"
This was another new aspect-the
S150,0O0 Remsen board not doing It's own
work. but turning it over to subor-
dinates.
Cases Dropped.
Mr.. Sloan wanted to know about
dropping prosecutions arbitrarily.
There have been 1903 cases dropped"
he replied. merely because the investi-
cations were not completed in three
months. The arbitrary action Of drop
ping them had no relation whatever to
their merits. Many cases were dropped
in this way which were on all-fours
with others which were won"
Can you give list that will show
cases dropped, while others exactly like
them have been carried on and won?"
now y replied the doctor, cheerfuily.
I'll be glad to present it to the COM
mittee.
Asked about his personal relations
with Secretary Wilson, Dr. Wiley said
he was. of course. free to go to the
after the adjustment of the food
and drug board he never felt free to go
to the Secretary about food matters.
Or. Wiley here specifically denied that
he approved the plan to hire Rusby at
81, 600 year, to work not over eighty
days.
Il knew nothing of such an arrange
ment; did not approve il, and, surely,
would not have done so had known of
it, he declared emphatically.
Going back TO the beginnings of food
law administration. soon after the law
passed. DR.. Wiley explained how the
Secretaries of Agriculture, Treasury,
and Commerce. and Labor were made
general supervising board for enforcing
the law. All moved smoothly in the
earlier periods of the new laws en-
Observation-Disclosures the food and drug
boards creation.
DR.. wiley and his bureau officials, as
designated by him. held the hearings on
vate and involved facts only. If no
violation of law was shown, the Sec
retary of Agriculture at once certified
that fact, in purely formal and rou-
tine way, to the proper district attorney
for prosecution. "But, at the outset. we
had almost no money or administrative
machinery, no real laboratory, and little
chance to do much enforcement until
the time the food-law board was Great
ed.
Created In 1907.
General Order Iii, created the board
in April, 1907. At the same time 1 re-
ceived letter from the Secretary ex,
planning that Dr. Dunlap and l were to
deal with facts and McCabe with law.
But when we organized and got at
business, there was no difference be-
tween our functions. There was op-
portunity for appeal to the Secretary,
and the interests concerned often did ap-
peal. l recollect the case of whether
glucose might be labeled corn syrup
The board held that 1t could not, and
notified the Corn Products Company of
the fact.
But after the decision was in type
and in galley proof. and before 1t was
issued, 1t was recalled and an exactly
opposite decision made by the three
Secretaries.
''The Corn Products Company got
very busy. 1t appealed for a suspen7
sion of the order and appealed to about
thirty prominent chemists 10 give opin-> :
ions hostile to our decision. In at least
one case I know, they offered money
for such an opinion. One Of the men
who gave such an opinion was after
ward made a member of the referee
board.
"a case was carried to the Supreme
Court of Wisconsin, later, in which ex-
actly the same question was raised.
That court held that glucose could not
be labeled as corn syrup.
I'm that case l prepared brief that 1