Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-17
Former Weather Bureau Chief
Denounces Administrations
''High-Handed Methods"
DECLARES THERE is NO
BASIS FOR ANY CHARGE
Asserts Action Was Taken in Order
to Create Vacancy-Burns Sus-
pended Pending Investigation.

| ioi aieSed irregularities in the conduc,
! or his office. today charged that the ad
mintstration by its action Is seeking t,
! exculpate itself before the country TO
creating vacancy in a scientific burea,
| or the government in order that sucf
vacancy might be added to the list of ap
| pointments to be filled.
| Prof Moore declares that there is abso
iutely no basis for any charges agains
| MIN, and IN response to q statement mad,
| today by Secretary of Agriculture Hous
| ton that representations against Prof
| Moore have been made by responsible
men In the weather bureau" the lattet
dehes the Secretary of Agriculture to
come out in the open and name such
men.
! Prof. Moore declares that he has suffi
cient friends in Congress to bring about
an investigation of what he calls "tht
| hlgh-handed methods pursued in oustins
| to the administration"
His ousting Protested, He Says.
| The late chief of the weather bureau
| say that some OF the great property In
terests of the country, which realize tha,
they have been well served by the wealth
er bureau. notably the New York Mari.
time Exchange. have protested to hin,
against 0he severance Of his Connection
with the weather bureau. and that he be-
lieves that the action taken by the Pres
ldent in relieving him OF his office was
IN consequence of feeling by govern
ment officials who talked to the Presi-
dent about 1t that his departure from
the service must be justified before the
public.
Secretary of Agriculture Houston today
| told Star reporter that he had had the
greatest (iffficIIlfV in Oatr ING ~oF
| to resign, following a CUSTOM, he said.
| well understood in Washington, that
government officials of the higher class
shall resign upon the advent of a new
administration
| Answering this statement. Prof Moore
denies that 1t is the custom for the heads
OF scientific bureaus Of the government
to resign, and he said that inasmuch as
his resignation had been insisted upon he
would not be surprised to see the heads
of other scientific bureaus requested to
resign.
Declined at First to Resign.
Discussing Prof. Moore's case today.
and the report that there is to be a
"shake-up' in the weather bureau, Sec
retary OF Agriculture Houston said:
when the new administration came
IN 1t was the part of the chief of the
weather bureau to resign. He did not
do 1t. His unseemly activity In the ef-
tort to obtain the position of Secretary of
agriculture was brought to the attention
OF the President. l knew nothing of it,
personally, at the time. and care moth
ing, as l was in st. Louis, attending to
my own affairs.
when it became clear that Prof. Moore
would not resign. 1t was intimated to him
that he should follow the custom Not.
withstanding that intimation it was with
difficulty that that form Of action was ob.
tanned from him. several days later, and
when his letter came, it came made Of
fective July 81. 1t was only after som,
discussion with him that he rendered an.
other resignation TO take effect at tn.
pleasure of the President. The reasons
he gave, however. for asking delay il
leaving the Office We're presented to the
President, and through consideration anC
courtesy to him the President accepted
the resignation to take effect July 81.
Dismissal Followed Investigation.
After that. representations to the
PRESIDENT were made by responsible mer
| In the weather bureau that Prof Moore
mad attempted to use them in furtherins
his candidacy for the secretaryship. Al
investigation by agents of the Depart
ment of Justice was begun and on tn.
result of it Prof. Moore was dismissed
Asked whether Prof. Moore had been
Si' cH reply TO any
charges made against him. Secretary
houston said that such a course was
| not necessary inasmuch as the position
OF chief of the weather bureau was an
| administrative one. not under the civil
service, and that Prof. Moore had been
! found to have acted in such a manner
as to make it necessary to separate him
| from the service.
| The charges or representations" Mr.
Houston said. were not necessary to
| be replied to by him. There was ample
veriflcation of them found in the records
of the weather bureau
Further Changes Undecided.
Asked as to what steps might be taken
/ in accordance with Gthe Presidents in
structions that the Secretary of Agricul
| ture take such disciplinary measures IN
| the weather bureau as he deemed fit il
connection with participation by employe.
| in Prof. Moores candidacy. Mr.. Houston
| said that the Department of Justice anl
| he are still studying that phase of tn,
| situation and he could not say today
whether there will will not be any
other changes in the bureau.
| In statement issued last night Sec
| retary Houston announced that he ha(
suspended Charles T. Burns, another
| employe of the weather bureau, pend
ing a further investigation of his case
L
at any rate be the only man to b4 sus
pended at once. No reason is giver
Tor his suspension.
| When Prof. Moore was asked today IL
| what manner Mr.. Burns Is supposed t.
have been connected with any alleged
irregularities in his Office he said h,
had not the least idea, and that he has
not seen him since his suspension, ant
in addition employees of the weathe
bureau for some time had been afrai,
to talk with him because of the in
vestigation being made there by secre
service men.
Says Houston Would Not See Him
Il am told" Prof Moore said, "tha
secret service men We're actually allowed
TO listen to conversations ON my tele
phones in town and at my farm in Rock
Vile"
Il received an anonymous letter day be
fore yesterday" Prof. Moore continued
Ito the effect that charges had been pre-
ferred against me and that l was likel!
to be dismissed instead of being allowed
to serve until July 81, in accordance Will
my resignation.
Il Immediately went to see Secretar,
Houston. and got DR.. Galloway the as