Evening star., 1923-10-18
ENGINEERS ACCUSE
WORK OF SANDER
Resent Alleged SIur to Pro-
fession in Letter Explaining
Dismissal of A. P. Davis.

Protesting against the action of
Secretary Work of the Interior De-
partment in removing Arthur Powell
Davis as director of reclamation, the
directors of the American Society Of
Civil Engineers today declared the ac-
tion els of a character most dangerous
as we'll as unjust
The directors investigated the dis
missal with a. special committee Of
two engineers. and reached five con-
clusions. as follows:
Obliged to Protest.
I'VE regret to have to state that
after mature elaboration we feel con-
strained to protest against your
action with the utmost vigor.
II. Because the dismissed, made so
suddenly and but little over three
months after you became Secretary,
was arbitrary, and was unjust to a
highly efficient and experienced public
official. most eminent civil engineer
of long recognized national and inter-
national standing in his profession
whose high qualifications you yourself
have certified by offering to make him
conSii ting engineer of the reclamation
"2. Because the action necessarily
must undermine the morale and loyalty
OF the whole reclamation service. tend
Ing TO substitute political standing for
merit, and leading to the danger that
the public funds may be wasted
through inefticiency. Similar action ap-
piled to other technical bureaus would
demoralize the entire technical and
scientific service of the government.
Accused of ORer.
g. Because the action was taken
by the devise of nominally abolishing
the position and Immediately creating
Its equivalent under another name, a
subterfuge which, as we are in
formed. 1t has been attempted 70
legalize by an ex post facto executive
order Furthermore, the charge re-
peateoly has been made In the press,
and without denial by you, that your
offer to retain Mr.. Davis as consult
Ing engineer of the reclamation serv-
Ice was on condition that he omit to
state that his resignation was re-
quested by YOU. To this fact your let
ter contained no reference.
that the effect of your action
eventually may lead to the waste Of
vast sums of public funds TO meet
political demands put forward on be-
half of selfish private interests. Dis
agreeing entirely with your views, we
consider 1t established that efficient
technical bureaus. such as the recla-
nation service, in the past (with its
worldwide recognition as a model
Tor other nations) can meet all the
just needs of the government frri-
cation projects. Farmers generally
throughout the United States are suf-
fering under present conditions no
less than those on reclamation prof.
ects.
Engineering ability and experience
are essential to the direction of the
management no less than to the
building of the reclamation projects
'5. Because business and engineer
ing ability both are necessary Qualifi-
cations for the efficient discharge of
the duties of the director of the recla-
nation service, or, as now called, the
commissioner OF reclamation.
Resentx ISLANDER"
Indeed, the whole engineering pro-
fession resents most strongly the
slanrer Implied in your letter) that
engineers cannot, or at least do not
possess business qualification Of the
hlgnrst order. In transportation, in
other great indutries. engineering ex-
ecuttveS play most important part
ENGINEERS are presidents of the
PennsYiVania railway, II e New Haven,
the Delaware and Hudson, the Chi
cago and Northwestern, the Santa Fe,
the Great Northern, the Chicago and
Great Western and many others Both
presidents of our two big electrical
companies are engineers, many OF
our large industrial and manufacture
ing operators are headed by engi-
neers-in fact. engineers play impor-
tant parts in business affairs in the
long list Of human activities In the
united states. The fact that hun
dreds of thousands of Americans are
content to trust investments of BILL
lions of dollars to the hands of engi-
neers Is ample proof-if any Is need
ed-of the falsity of the charge that
engineers are not business men.
Your explanation. Il erefo-e, Is in
adequate In every respect. Your action
is of a character most dangerous as
well as unjust We protest 1t in the
strongest terms"