The Detroit times., 1911-08-16
PEOPLE MONEY
IS sQUANDERED'
WILEY.
Chemist Testihes That Pure Food
Inspection Board Hampered Work
Of Chemistry Department.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 16.--Declar-
Ing that the people money was
squandered and that the administra-
ton of the pure food law. hampered
by the creation OF pure food inspec-
ton board In which he was a help
less minority, DR.. Harvey w. Wiley
today laid bare to the house investi-
eating committee the obstacles against
whiSa he said he had struggled to
administer the law.
He asserted that Solicitor McCabe
and Associate Chemist Dunlap, the
two officials whom Wiley's supporters
claim are banded together to oust the
pure food champion, were generally
antagoRistic to him" To illustrate his
own helplessness on the board. Wiley
told how on perhaps 100 occasions
where he and Dunlap agreed on chem
ical questions as against McCabe,
second vote would be ordered. and
the second time Dunlap would sup
port McCabe, who is not chemist.
Answering Rep. Floyd (Dem.. Ark,
Wiley explained his employment OF
DR.. H. II. Rusby, OF New York, which
the personnel committee Of the de-
partment and the attorney-general.
both declared was irregular. He said
he did not contract with Rusby for
a specific number of days work for
the $1,000 yearly salary.
Floyd read from a letter supposed
to have been sent to Dr. Wiley by
Rusby. DR.. Wiley said he never saw
the letter, and called attention to the
fact that DR.. Rusby had testified that
he did not send the original because
he learned Wiley was away. A copy
OF the letter was inadvertently put
into Rusby's files and later forwarded
TO Secretary Wilson.
DR. Wiley said he had no correspond
ence with DIR. Rusby regarding salary.
ANY connection l have with. this
matter" said DR.. Wiley, .sis based
on this letter. which never received,
and which never LETT Rpsby,s house.
This letter is the cruk OF the pres
ent controversy. The original now in
evidence, shows that Rusby was ask
Ing for 81. 900 a year for 100 days work
with this qualifying clause:
IF satisfactory to the department"
When the personnel board made ifs
charges and based them on the Rusby
letter, II apparently left out the quail
flying clause quoted above. These
startling facts came out In a long
statement made to the committee by
DR.. Wiley. who also called attention
to the fact that be could not appoint
Rusby without approval OF Secretary
Wilson.
DR.. Wiley said the first formal cor
respondence he had with the person
mel board was when they politely
gave me an opportunity to resign
II was very much obliged to them
for their courtesy" he added.
Wiley's counsel at the hearing took
the view that Solicitor George p. Nc
Cabe. OF the department of agricul-
ture, Association Chemist F. l.. Dun
lap, and several other officials of the
department. were banded together to
oust the chief chemist, and that the
charges Of '1rregularity" In wiley's
employment OF DIR. H. H. Rusby. or
New York, as an expert. were trump
ed up"
Wiley said he entered the govern
ment service as chemist In 1883, and
assisted congressional committees In
the framing of the present pure food
laws. He declared that the law gave
his bureau the right to determine the
purity or impurity OF any food product.
He said that the food and drug In
spection board, OF which. he, Solicitor
McCabe. and DR.. Dunlap are members,
has the duty Of passing on all de-
cisions of the bureau of chemistry and
had overruled the bureau In about
two-thirds of the cases.
when you and DR.. Dunlap have
differed in matters Of chemistry, how
many times have you been sustained
by the deciding vote Of McCabeT
asked Rep. Floyd. (Dem.. Ark.).
''Only once" answered Or. Wiley.
"It was when said rye whisky should
be made from rye. DR.. Dunlap dis
agreed, and In letter McCabe agreed
with me-"
How many cases have been de-
cided?" asked Rep. Mays. (Dem..
Fla.).
Between 1900 and 1000 cases."
said Wiley, 'In about 100 cases when
DR.. Dunlap agreed with me and Nc
Cabe disagreed with me, Dunlap i'm
mCQldlely ChdABcu hio NOtO.
Every bit of efficiency Of the bu-
reau OF chemistry was entirely 'blit-
Grated by the creation Of this board.
The work OF the bureau was nullifed
and the public money was squandered
because the cost OF the bureaus In
vestigations was a total loss"
DIR. Wiley said that so far as he
knew Secretary of Agriculture VIII
son had approved all decisions of the
food and drug inspection board.
Wiley said about 5000 cases had
been prepared by his bureau regard
ing misbranding and adulteration. He
declared that the average cost OF pre-
pairing each case was about 5000 He
said that McGabe rarely attended the
meetings and hearings of the roard
of food and drug inspection, notwith-
sfaudfno ha "A a member.