Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-15
SYMPATHY EXPRESSED
FOR OFFICIALS EFFORTS
Kebler and Bigelow Called Over
jealous and Disingenuous.
PERSONNEL BOARD REVERSED
Lone-Awaited Decision Regarding
Employment of Expert In
Pure Food Inves-
tigation.

BEVERLY. Mass, September
I5.-The resignation OF DIR. Har-
vey w. Wiley, chief of the bureau
Of chemistry in the Department
of Agriculture, and probably the
best known pure food expert in
The government service, will not
be asked for by President Taft,
despite recommendation by the
personnel board of the depart
nent and indorsed by Attorney
General Wickersham that it be
requested. The "condign pun
ishment' for DIR. Wiley, which
Mr.. Wickersham held to be neces-
sary, will not be meted out by the
chief executive. The Presidents
opinion, carrying no word OF
criticism for DIR. Wiley, but many
a word of praise, was made public
here today. There is no indica-
ton in it that the President feels
that he turned down" Mr.. Wick
ersham by not accepting his rec
concentrations. He explains that
the Attorney Generals findings in
the case were made with less
complete information than was
before him when he took it up.
The President admits what has
been well known to manv persons
close to the administration that
there is trouble in the Depart
ment of Agriculture. Speaking
of the congressional inquiry into
that department unfinished at the
last session, but to be taken up
again next winter, Mr.. Taft says
"The broader issues raised by
the investigation, which have a
much weightier relation than this
one to the general efficiency of
the department, may require
much more radical action than
the question | have considered
and decided"
Serious Shake-Up Indicated.
That this statement indicates a serious
shake-up in the department next winter
was freely predicted here today There
have never been any intimations that
Secretary Wilson was disposed to retire,
and it is not believed here that the
President would request him to do So
A general cleanup OF affairs in the de-
partment, however, could easily be re-
quired by the President and carried
through when he returns to Washington
in November.
Tie Wiley case" arose over the en-
ployment by the bureau of chemistry of
Dr. II. II. Rusby of New York. pharma-
Wiley, DIR. l.. f. kebler, chief of the
drug laboratory and DIR. w. d. Bigelow,
assistant chief of the bureau, were
charged with having conspired to pay Dr.
Rusby salary of $1,000 a year, with the
tacit understanding that he was TO do
only enough work to secure this amount
at the rate of so a day. This was held
To violate the act of Congress, approved
March 10, 1898, which declared that no
classified scientific investigator should re-
ceive more than 50 day.
In addition to the recommendation that
DIR. Wiley be allowed to resign, the per-
sonnel board held that DR.. Rusby should
be dismissed that DR.. Kebler be re-
duced and that Dr. Bigelow be allowed
to quit the service. None of these recon-
mendations is upheld in the President s
opinion.
DR.. Kebler Reprimanded.
DR.. kebler is reprimanded for "disin-
genuous conduct in his letter writing to
Or. Rusby, and the President says that
the letters suggest a Willingness to re-
sort TO evasion" that calls for official
reproof DIR. Bigelow is held to have
been overZealous, and reprimand
by Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, 10
whom the opinion, which is in letter
form, Is directed, is ordered by the
President.
DR.. Rusby is held to be as guiltless as
DR.. Wiley in this particular matter A
charge against him. however, OF securing
the appointment on the common labor
ers rolls of a physician and expert
whom he could use 10 do his work al
very small stipend when he himself
was called away, the President holds 70
be no especially creditable." The case
the President says. has made apparen,
the doubtful legislative policy of placinp
limitations upon bureau chiefs to exac,
per diem compensation for experts
The government. he says, ought not te
be at a disadvantage in this regard, and
one cannot withhold ones sympathy witt
earnest eIOlt Dy LIT. Wiley pay
proper compensation and secure exper,
assistance in the enforcement of so inn
portant a statute as the pure food law.
certainly in the beginning, when tn,
questions arising under it are of capita
Importance to the public
The Presidents conclusions he saws
were ready weeks ago, but he did not pu
them on paper. because he hoped for ;
time for the report of the COMMITTEES O
the House of Representatives that wa.
investigating the Department of Agricul
ture.
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
His letter reads as follows:
IT return herewith the papers which yo,
have submitted to me in the matter o