The Washington times., 1911-08-15
CONTRAST BETWEEN THE
KERRY AND DAVIS CASES.

Ballinger-Pinchot inquiry much plain
and fancy lying was done, in behalf OF
Mr.. Ballinger, about a certain "Lawler
memorandum" which had been the
basis of the Presidents letter dismiss
ing CLAWS from Government service.
Kerby knew that there had been a
Lawler memorandum; had helped write
it. In order that the truth might pre-
vail he decided it was his duty to state
the truth publicly.
The truth gave the lie direct to the
denials which had been issued thereto
fore.
For thus telling the truth, Kerby
was instantly dismissed. Ballinger
wrote him a letter which set forth
the high toned ideals of this Admins
tration about the ethics of the stem
ographer's confidential relation.
In that letter the then Secretary of
the Interior said:
Department OF the Interior,
Washington, May 16, 1910.
Sir: You are hereby discharged from
the public service because you are un-
worthy to remain in II.
In divulging Information obtained by
you in the confidential relation of stem
ographer to the Secretary OF the In
terror: in communicating that informa-
ton to those whom you are bound to
know are wrongfully seeking to bring
reproach upon the administration an.
to injure me; and in deliberately mis-
stating material facts as to what you
did treacherously communicate, you
show that you are unworthy and un-
safe. The fact that your treachery is
futile cannot mitigate the character OF
your offense. For the good of the
service you are hereby dismissed.
Respectfully.
Richard A. Ballinger, Sec'y.
Mr.. Frederick NJ. Kerby,
Washington, D. c.
Secretary Ballinger was the beau
ideal Cabinet officer of the Taft Ad-
ministration. He has received more
encomiums, more Endorsements, more
fulsome praise and ardent certificates
of character from President Taft than
all the other members of the Admins
tration put together.
Kerby was unworthy" 'treach-
erous," and unsafe for what?
BECAUSE HE TOLD THE TRUTH
WHEN UNTRUTH WAS THE POLICY
OF THE HIGHEST OFFICERS OF
THE GOVERNMENT.
BECAUSE HE SWORE TO THE
TRUTH, AND IN DOING so CON
VICTED THE HIGHEST OFFICERS
OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
OF DELIBERATELY SURPRISING
RECORDS, AND SOME OF THEM
OF PERJURY.
The Taft Administration, in that
juncture, placed the loyalty of a
stenographer to his superior higher
than it placed the truth or the public
interest. Mr.. kerby did not; so Kerby
was fired
Now let us observe the attitude of
this same Administration toward the
confidential character of the stem
ographer's service, when the boot is on
the other leg.
Miss Carrie NJ. Davis is stenographer
to DR.. L. f. Kebler, of the Bureau of
Chemistry. Her employment is OF
the same confidential character as was
that of Kerby.
But Kebler's superiors believed that
if they could induce her to divulge the
condolences of her employment they
could learn something helpful to their
conspiracy for the ruin of Wiley and
Kebler.
So they set about to coerce the
young woman. She was taken to the
office of Secretary Wilson, and there
told that if she would violate the con-
fidence of her relations as stenographer
no harm would come to her.
Thence she was taken by a Secret
Service manor a pretended Secret
Service man-to a room where Solici-
tor McCabe and a stenogapher awaited
her. The door was locked, and she
was subjected to a sweating process OF
combined intimidation, bullying, and
coercion to induce her to BETRAY
THE SECRETS OF HER EMPLOY
MENT.
The contrast between these two
procedures, in the cases of Kerby and
of Miss Davis, strikingly illustrates
the devious ideals and ethics of this
Administration.
When there was a conspiracy at the
Interior Department to betray the pub
lie interest, the stenographer who was
loyal to the public interest, and who
preferred to tell the truth about his
employment rather than to commit a
convenient perjury, was dismissed ip
disgrace.
When there was a conspiracy at the
Agricultural Department to betray the
public interest, the stenographer who
did not want to reveal the secrets Of
her employment, was locked up, grilled,
sweated, and coerced.
1t would seem that the honest stem
ographer has a hard time under this
furtive and secretive Administration.
A. I. a..