The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-20
DR.. WILEY IS UPHELD
The House Committee Reports Unani-
Inously in His Favor.

Washington, Jan. 20.-Dr. Harvey w.
Wiley, chief of the chemistry bureau
of the department Of agriculture, the
storm center of the food administration
controversy last summer, is given a
clean bill of health in the report OF
the house committee that investigated
the charges and counter charges. The
committee, in it's report, which will be
presented to the house next Monday,
sustains DR.. Wiley all along the lima
except on technical unin.portalt details.
There is no politics in the report, .
said Chairman Moss, of the committee.
This fact, together with compromises
on some of the matters about which
the members of the committee had
different views, permitted full agree
ment.''
The report pays much attention to the
RemSen board, to the activity of So
licitor AIcCabe. who was the principal
oppCEe of DIR. Wiley in the depart
ment, and its recommendations in gen.
erai recommend that DR.. WILEY be given
a free hand in the enforcement of the
very largely the power II authority ex-
ercised by Solicitor McCabe. This lini-
tation already has been put into effect
under the action taken by President
Taft shortly after the adjournment of
the extra session brought the active
congressional Investigation to a close.
The investigation was made by the
house committee on expenditures in
the department of agriculture and it's
hearings during the recent extra ses-
sion of congress awakened wide ma
tional interest. Secretary of Agricul-
ture Wilson, DR.. Wiley, Solicitor Geo.
P McCabe and host of other wit
nesses contributed to the symposium Of
revelations regarding the demOralized
conditions surrounding the administra-
ton Of the pure food law.
In the course of these hearings Dr.
Wiley told how most of his rulings were
arbitrarily cverruled, that there were
few cases Of drug law violations pre-
pared because many lines of inquiry
were taken out of his hands and turned
over to the RenSen referee board for
investigation. He said his hands We're
thus absolutely paralyzed.' His decis-
ions confiicted with the Remsen board
and he said the least that could be done
for the publlc'S protection was to pro-
hibit the use of foods or drugs until the
board had decided in favor Of their use
The big cOntrON ersy between him and
the Remsen board was over the chenlis-
try bureaus findings that benzoate or
soda was harmful
DR.. Wiley told the committee just
five months ago he had found 1t use
less to appeal to Secretary Wilson and
that he had practically Surrendered''
his authority for enforcing The pure
food law to Messrs. McCabe and Dun
lap. He declared the Rusby contract
was necessary to secure his services
He said that in using a letter from DR..
Rusby regarding his prospective ser
vices as an expert, the personnel board
had omitted the most essential portion
CT the letter, the statement of DR..
Rusby that the arrangement for his
services had been agreed upon as fair
and satisfactory, eff approved by the
department.
DR.. Wiley testified that he had fully
explained to Secretary Wilson the
terms of the arrangement with Dr.
Rusby,