Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-17
Berry Furnished Information.

James Berry, for thirty-two years an
employee of the weather bureau and chief
Of the Chronological division up until
1910. is the man who furnished practical
~ all of the information in the charges
against Willis Moore now before the
President.
Mr. Berry told Star reporter today
that for three years he had been collect
ing information concerning irregularities
in the bureau The elimination of his
charges is that $4,000 of government
money was spent with the Typographical
cal Union by Willis Moore and his bureau
organization in an attempt to boost
Moore as a candidate for Secretary OF
Agriculture.
This was simply the climax of a long
series of irregularities" said Mr.. Berry.
willis Moore has been building up an
inside organization for himself for years.
He has used his employees for his own
ends.
Gives List to President.
II have given to the President list of
forty employees who have been advanced
in salary an aggregate of $22,SOO in the
past five years, and their most recent
advancement, just year ago. was a
total increase of $4,000. These men,
scattered throughout the country, are
mixing their weather predictions with
wirepulling for Willis Moore.
THE climax of the thing was the ban
quet at Atlanta Moore got his man Fri
day, the superintendent of the weather
bureau printing plant, Burns, to go to
Atlanta and STIR up something with the
Typographical Union, thinking it would
be a great IN II. to have the labor or
ganization on his staff.
Claims Salary Funds Used.
ne got leaders of typographical unions
all over the country to go to that din
ner. and also to another one held later.
l have looked into the matter and l claim
that the expenses of those delegates
amounting to $4,000, We're paid by the
weather bureaus blanket appropriation
of $500, coo for salaries This charge is
before the President among all the others
and is the latest development.
Now / have tried to get these charges
considered by the House of Representa-
tives for some time, and have been to
every man on the committee on agricul-
ture and to other members. None of
these would consent to Introducing a
resolution of investigation. and 1t was not
until Representative Fowler of Illinois
introduced a resolution that Congress
heard of 1t.
Prevented Moore's Salary Raise.
Mir. Berry talked to Representative
Fowler of Illinois, who had blocked a
raise in salary for Willis Moore during
the consideration of the agricultural ap-
ptopriation bill at the last session. Rep
resentative Fowler objected to the item
raising the salary from $500 to $1,000
and the raise went out OF the bill on his
point of order. The next day Willis
Moore called on Representative Fowler
at the Capitol, according to Represent
alive Fowler. who explained the matter
today to Star reporter III this fashion:
Il had never seen Mr.. Moore previous
to that day / had no personal animus
in Directing to his salary being raised
but men from the country districts have
to look to the economy of the government,
In order to keep their pledges to the
people who elected them
MIR. Moore called on me with former
United States senator, who was as
courteous as one could ask.
Fowler Says he Was Threatened.
L told them that l could not in jus.
tice withdraw the point of order and Mr.
Moore than became little threatening
and told me that must go back and
withdraw it, replied that 1 could no,
do SO. And then he threatened me.
told him 1 hoped that my view of the
| matter would not have any effect upor
his treatment Of any people in his serv.
ice who come from my district or upor
the weather bulletin service in my dis.
trict He replied that such treatmen,
would be the only thing TO expect"
did your resolution precipitate the
action by the President. or did any i'm.
| formation that you laid before the ad
| ministration hasten MT. Moore's de-
parture from ofi1ce?" he was asked
Does Not Claim Responsibility.
Il do not claim any connection between
| my resolution and the announcement in
| the papers. l worked this thing out with
James d. Berry after that one interview
/ had with Moore s.
! MIR. Fewler's resolution AS original,
| introduced may be allowed to die, a.