New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-08
DIR. ALLEN TAKES
CRITICS TO TASK
Former Research Bureau
Director Replies to
F. II. Cleveland.
SAYS MONEY RULES
IN FINAL ANALYSIS
CenSureS Rockefeller Agent and
Turns Spotlight on the
FleXner Letter.

DR.. William n. Allen. tormer,y a d..
rector in the Bureau Of Municipal Re.
search, replied yesterday 10 a oJ,ti-
cism OF his methods as an invest.ga
t.- s5r 'Hc iuitcd States Commission
o. Industrial Relations, b. whom he
is now employed These comments,
he asserts. were voiced on the Stand
by Frederick II. Cleveland. VINO testi-
fed, and Iu n letter written by AbTs
ham FieNncr, OF tho General Educa-
ton BOARD.
The value Of a question is in the
facts II secures" said DR.. Allen. "and
rot IN the motive which prompts II.
And to impugn investigators methods
IS as old as investigation itself"
He alleged also that. while the fact
may be true shat Mr. Flexner. acting
as Mr.. Rockefeller's agent. reported
60 the General Education Board on tho
Bureau Of Municipal Research. tic
matter contained ln that document was
not true.
After pointing out how the motives
of several men were impugned in well
known Investigations in this city, Mr..
Allen said that what Mr.. Rockefeller's
agents motives were IN reporting
specifically and untruly was OF little,
il any, consequence. But the belief
Of the bureaus trustees in deeming
them superficial and untrue was ire
mendously important.
The opening gun Of this campaign
between Or. Cleveland and his former
colleague IN the bureau was fired BY
the former last Wednesday. At that
time he gave out Statement Of
Facts" which listed the contributors
l. l.
companying letter he added that Dr..
Allen had made statements rejecting
both on his integrity and that of his
associates.
on the stand before the commission
on Saturday DR.. Cleveland charged
that the investigator had introduced
into the proceedings matter Of a SINH
lar kind. When asked TO show IN
stances. he said he would have TO re-
FER 10 the records of the institution.
DR.. Allen said that the trustees held
last April, when the FlcNner letter was
reported to the General Education
Board. that IL was not only untrue, but
unfair. unprofessional and libellous as
veil. They made a long report TO prove
this, he continues, quoting many per-
sons, distinguished in several fields, to
bring out their point.
He declares further; What Mr..
Rockefeller's agent said could not have
been true. If what Professors Beard
and Seager. of Columbia University;
jerks, Of New York University, and
Hart. of Harvard. wrote was true. The
question az issue is whether Mr.. Flex-
ner. who used a method which could
mover find the truth about any subject.
or these other men, who used a method
calculated to find the truth, really
found IT,"
He concludes his statement by assail-
ing several men connected with other
foundations.
NO one wants Mr.. Buttrick's sigma
ture on petitions and statements re-
gArding New York school affairs be-
cause he Is supposed 10 have any def
mite special knowledge about them;
they want his signature because he
represents S34,0OO.O00. TO be given
away or withheld. They want Mr..
pritchett's signature because OF his ma
tionsl standing and his power to give
away or withhold and not because of
his definite local knowledge. They
want Mr.. Glcnn's signature because he
stands for an agency with money TO
spend. 90 give or withhold. They
Sant Mr.. FleNncr's signature because
he represents the intcrlocking of Car
negie and Rockefeller foundations and
not because o. service to the New York
schools" Mr.. Buttrick is connected
with the General Education Board, Mr..
Pritchett with the Carnegie Founda-
tion and Mr.. Glenn with the Sage.
Mr.. Cleveland sent letter to Chair
man Walsh on the subject Of Mr.. AL
lens testimony relative TO the charge
that the Bureau Of Municipal Research
had been unduly influenced by Mr.
Rockefeller. The writer emphasizes
that part IN which Mrs f. H. Hartman
- alleged 10 have said concerning Mr.
Rockefeller:
Nothing has ever made me realize
ss does this what a grasp money has
on this country VINO is this man. and
what has he ever done to Justify his