The Washington times., 1913-07-30
WEATHER BUREAU TO
DEPEND ON SCIENCE
Moore's Successor Will Play No
Politics in Administration of
His Bureau.

The United States Weather Bureau
hereafter will be a strictly scientiflc
institution. Prof. Charles Frederick
Marvin, the new chief of the bureau,
has so decided, and that will mean that
playing of politics, as it is alleged VIII
lis L. Moore, the former chief, did,
will be an unknown proposition.
Prof, Marvin himself Is loath to dls-
cuss the political aspect Of the positlon,
either from his own standpoint or that
of Prof Willis Moore.
81 can only say that the bureau VIII
| be conducted On scientific lines he
declared. Il cannot now commit my
| self to any special policy, but Will look
the field over thoroughly before make
! any decision as to the methods to be
pursued in the future. l can say tnat
politics did not enter into consideration
when my appointment was made.
My policy will be to do the best /
can"
Strives To Increase Usefulness.
That one sentence means that the
United states Weather Bureau will be
more efficient and useful than ever. say
Prof. Marvin's associates. And he him
! self admits that he will try to increase
the usefulness of the weather service
to farmers, shippers. and others who
! rely on it in daily business. -.
|. In a general way, he has decided that
the scientific methods which have stood
the test of time shall be continued IN
force. This does not mean that Prof.
Marvin is in any sense reactionafy.
On the other hand, he is aggressive and
progressive.
His record as a scientist proves this
statement
When he came to the Weather Bu-
reau in 1855, weather forecasts were
comparatively crude products. In mis-
service as professor of meteoroiogy, IN
charge of the instrument section, Prof.
Marvin has added largely TO the sum
total of scientific inventions.
Forecasters used to get their ther-
morneter and barometer readings by
eye" That meant that there was bound
TO be certain amount of error. ana
scientific Investigations require aoso-
lutte accuracy.
Now, through the efforts of Prof.
Marvin the bureau has an instrument
which automatically records on paper
the sunshine, rainfall, wind direction
and velocity. Likewise, the bureau has
in its possession a set OF tables tor
computing the quantity Of moisture IN
the air and these tables resulted from
many months of careful experimental
ton on the part of the professor.
Invents Special Instrument.
He is also the inventor of an instru-
ment to record barometric pressure. He
has improved apparatus for recording
earthquake shocks, and he has con-
Quoted elaborate experiments with kites
TO determine meteorological data,
evaporation. solar radiation and kim
dred subjects.
The professor is a modest, democratic.
and unassuming man. with many close
friends. His associates all speak in the
highest terms of him as a leader and as
a scientist. and they say that President
lection for the position Of weather man.
Prof Marvin is a native Of Ohio and
a graduate OF the Ohio State Univer-
sity. His reputation as a scientist is in
ternational. and his daily mall contains,
perhaps, more letters from men in the
high scientific places on the Continent
than from men in this country.