Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-13
bar TO TESTIMONIAL
Department Employees Con-
fronted With the Law.
FORBIDDEN TO Contribute
Planning Wedding Present to Dr..
Wiley.
SILVER SERVICE PROPOSED
Now They Learn That Their Gener-
osity Is Likely to Bring About
Summary Dismissal.
FORBIDDEN TO contribute
SILVER SERVICE PROPOSED

There is at present state of unpleas-
ing uncertainty in the Department of Ag-
riculture as to whether the chief chemist
OF the department is going to get a we'd
ding present from S67 employees of the
bureau or whether the present will be
limited to eleven individuals who are at
liberty to contribute under the law. The
legal aspect of the case is that the pres
ent will have to be limited to the eleven
aforesaid. There is, however, a loophole
in the law that will have to be settled
either by the Secretary of the depart
ment. or by reference to the civil service
commission, or some other authoritative
body.
1t was discovered some weeks ago that
DIR. Harvey w. Wiley, the chief chemist,
contemplated committing matrimony at
some date this spring not yet an
nounced. This announcement was hailed
with mixed emotions by the employees
of the bureau. However, some Of the
older employees who had been through
the same thing themselves decided it
would be an opportunity to show their
sympathy in an appropriate way, and
they started in to figure how much could
be raised by subscription among the en-
ployes.
One of the tabulating machines of the
bureau was secured and it was found
that on the basis of subscription OF
two-tenths of 1 per cent OF their month
ly salary the force of the bureau and
it's many qualifications could raise $685..
1t was decided that this could be best
invested in a silver service, and it was
decided that this should be done. tne
theory being that it probably was the
last time they would have chance to
give DR.. Wiley wedding present any
how.
Prohibited by the Law.
Thus far everything was moving
smoothly. The matter was naturally
kept secret from the potential groom
when some Of the older employees took
counsel with c. c. Clark, the chief clerk
Of the department. AS an olo employe
Of the department it was thought that
Prof. Clark would gleefully e1ster into
this pleasant conspiracy to surprise the
chief chemist. But that was where the
pleased planners OF the pleasant pro-
gram had q head-end collision with an
unforeseen obstacle. Prof. Clark Is
kindly and mild-mannered man, but one
with an ingrown veneration for law and
order. He went to his reference library
when the question was presented and
returned with a copy of the Revised
Statutes, In which there was a clause
heavily UNDERSIGNED. 1t was to the eff
feet, leaving legal verbiage out Of the
account. that any employee soliciting
subscription for a superior officer. any
employees contributing thereto and any
superior officer accepting such pres
ent would be summarily discharged.
Pause in the Activity.
This put crimp. as 1t were, in the &C
tivities Of the subscriptioners. not that
they cared about the personal application
Of the statute. but they did not want to
work DR.. Wiley out of a job. The effect
on some of the subsidiary employees of
the bureau was sudden. Charwomen that
are employed at $40 month to scrub the
floors of the laboratories sank with emo
ton. Two of them had to be sent home
in taxicabs at the expense of the depart
nent and there is now question as to
whether Private Secretary Wilson will
o. X. the bills and whether, II he does.
the auditor will pass them. Some of the
junior clerks declared there was nothing
in the Revised Statutes to prevent their
buying Grape and wearing 1t on their arm.
Anyhow the event will be signalized in
the department in some fashion.
In the meantime there has been hur-
ried consultation between the Secretary
of Agriculture and the bureau chiefs.
The Secretary and assistant secretary ana
the heads Of the bureaus are all official
equals or superiors of DIR. Wiley and there
is nothing to prevent their buying him a
present II they choose. OF course 1t is
not known whether they will dig indi-
vidually and give him silver-plated shaw
ing mugs, cut glass paper weights and
equally useful articles or whether they
will mass forces and get him ball-bear-
ing perambulator. There is a legal ques-
ton, too, whether DR.. Fowler, who is
locum tenens of the bureau of plant in
dustry, while DIR. Galloway is in Japan.
will be barred by law from joining the ag-
gregation Of official equals If a joint pres
ent is decided on. Officially he is DR..
Wiley's inferior. Whether he would adj
nit that personally is of course not ger
name to the discussion. But whether or
not as acting chief Of bureau the tenn
porary appointment has raised his stand
ing for the purpose of buying wedding
presents is a nice legal distinction that
has not yet been settled.
Some Suggestions Advanced.
Some Of the more humble employees OF
the bureau of chemistry held a meeting
and discussed the possibility of circum-
venting the law. 1t was matter Of COM
mon knowledge that one Of the marks of
distinction conferred on DR.. Wiley by
the grateful manufacturers was having
more or less popular brand OF cigars
named after him. Some of the employees
Of the bureau suggested that II they in
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