New-York tribune., 1918-07-06
Suspended Food and Drug
Director Gets Hearing
by Health Board
Integrity Not Doubted
Copeland's Questions Indicate
Disapproval Of Delega-
ton of Power

e"o oureAu OF ROOD and Drugs, suS-
pended on May IS, following Mayor
Hylan's economy drive at the Health
Department, was given a hearing yes
tcrday by the Board of Health. The
nearing consisted of the reading Of the
charges against him, the reading Of his
answer and few questions by Health
Commissioner Royal S. Copeland. De-
cislon was reserved
Commissioner Copeland WAS specific
IN declaring there was no question of
DR.. Browns integrity, high scientific
standing or zeal in his work. He did,
however, ask many questions tending
to show he believed DR.. Brown dele
gated too much work to his assistants
II was after results" was Dr.
Browns general answer to these ques-
tions, "and you have been kind enough
to say got them"
There was an approach to clash when
Third Deputy Police Commissioner John
". Goff. sitting as proxy for Police
commissioner Enright, sought to stop
Or. Brown reading letters from scien-
tlsts and others attesting to his high
scientific rating and his integrity. Mr..
Got thought the members Of the board
could read the letters for themselves.
Letter Reading Sustained
Dr. Brown contended the letters con-
stituted an integral part of his defence,
DR.: Copeland sustained him in this.
The general charge against Dr. Brown
n nryr =, I1vy@ Al. - ~ B
Service Commissioner James E. Mac
Bride, was neglect of duty, ineffi.
cheney and incompetency," and in the
specifications, failure TO establish a
food code, to exercise effective super
vision over subordinates, to systema
tlze the work of the bureau laboratory
and to attend meetings Of the various
department boards were alleged.
Other charges were that DR.. Brown
favored the amending of the state milk
law; that he informed an employe un-
der suspicion that he was being inves-
tlgated; that he was absent from duty
seventy-three days between September
3, 1915, and May 2, 1913, for the pur-
pose OF delivering lectures and attend
ing conferences in various cities and
that he attended to personal business
during office hours.
Generalities Protested
DR.. Brown protested against the gen.
eral nature of the charges. Everything
on which complaint was made was
done, he declared, with the approval of
his superiors, and that many of the
things complained Of were done under
orders and as part of the departing mt
policy. Specifically, he denied the de-
tailed charges, disposng of the COM
plant Of failure to provide food code
with letter from DR.. Goldwater, for.
mer Health Commissioner, approving
of his action in this and other matters,
On the question Of his efficiency, in
tegrity and competency DR.. Brown read
letters from DR.. Harvey w. Wiley and
others, DR.. Copeland interrupting to
declare that no question of integrity
or honesty Is involved in the case.
On the question of absence from
duty DR.. Brown showed that thirty
five of the seventy-three days had been
taken off without pay, thirty of them
at the end of his probationary period
to bring his family and settle in New
York, and that instead Of having failed
TO put in the usual amount of time on
duty he had in that year taken but five
days vacation, although entitled to
thirty, and in the period when he was
charged with this neglect to attend to
business he had, in fact, put in the
equivalent of more than four months
overtime, for which the city had paid
him nothing.
In the matter of attending confer
cnces, DR.. Brown said this was with the
approval and under the orders of for
mer commissioners, who believed In
the exchanging of information and fire.
quent comforting of experts in such
matters. On this latter point DR.. Cope
land declared himself in harmony with
the views of his predecessors, but he
questioned the propriety Of the city
spending money on this sort Of work
At the conclusion Of the reading of
Dr.. Browns brief, document 1876
pages long, DR.. Copeland congratulated
him on his Every logical and illuminat-
ing statement"
"The board will admit" said he,
"that it is delighted to hear of the
good work that has been accomplished.
of Health and jealous Of it's continued
excellence. There are. however, one or
two points that you have not cleared
up.
"It seems to me that you have dele
gated an immense amount Of authority
to your assistants, and it raises the
question whether full faith has been
kept with the city in turning over to
them work that you were charged with
doing"
To sustain this DR.. Copeland read
from secret testimony taken by ex-
Commissioner MacBride to show that
DR.. Brown was not familiar with all
made to the bureau. and
that one Taylor, an employe of the bu-
reau, had testified that Ole Salthe was
the controlling spirit in the bureau.
"Any executive" replied Dr. Brown,
must be judged by results. l tested
these men out, and it must be q ques-
ton of opinion as to whether I was
justified, unless it be shown that we
failed to get results. You admit that
we have gotten the results"
Copeland then read from the testi-
nony of one Taylor that 500 reports
IF narcotic sales had been received at
once from Schieffelin & Co.. who should
lave reported the sales as made, but
admitted he did not tell DR.. Brown of
his.
"Do you want me-" DR.. Brown asked.
TO say play no favorites?"
THAT is not necessary. / do not
hink you do" said DR.. Copeland,
hereby disposing of the MacBride
,harge that the head of the Citizens
Union, who is also the head of Schief-
elm 4 Co., and others had been un-
July favored
At the conclusion of the testimony
Dr.. Brown asked permission to sub
POINTS raised during the hearing.
This DR. Cone1a;d saiG would Mt Ia