Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-30

as professor Of Latin and Greek at But
Ter College, indianapolis, but turned
soon to teaching scientific subjects in
various colleges, which led him to his
Federal post
The controversy that preceded his
resignation grew out of the charge
that DR.. Wiley, DIR. L. F. Kebler chief
of the bureaus drug laboratory, and DR..
w. D. Bigelow. assistant chief of the
bureau, permitted an arrangement to
be made with DR.. H. H. Rusby of Co
lumbia University. whereby DR.. Rusby
was to receive a salary of 81 800 a year
with the tacit understanding that he
was to do only enough work to secure
this amount at the rate of $50 day
This was declared to have been VIOLA
ton of the act, which held that no clas-
Sified scientific investigator should re-
seive more than SO a day.
President Taft, after lengthy cor
Tespondence, instead of carrying out
the recommendations of Attorney Gen.
eral WickerSham, asking "condign
punishment" for the chemist. vindi-
Gated the food expert and his accociates
completely. DR. Wiley then felt that he
could resign with honor.
The what Is whisky" fight came
with enforcement of the food and drugs
much talked-of decision declaring there
was only one kind of whisky, that made
by the pot stilI method OF distilling the
mash, and the liquor aged in charred
wood. This process produced chemical
changes and gave the liquor its Char
acteristic" favor, he said, while the
"rectifying" method produced some
thing that was not straight whisky.
The question of the labelling of vari-
Gus brands of whisky led to another
long controversy with Warwick M
Hough, counsel for diStilling and recti-
flying interests, taking part and carry
ing his fight to the Secretary of Agri-
culture, Congress and the White House
President Roosevelt ended 1t by order
ing that straight, blended, compounded
and imitation liquors should be cor.
rectly labeled as such, which was con-
firmed later by President Taft.
Won in BenzOate Case.
In the benzoate of soda case, 9
referee board Of experts headed by DR.
Ira RemSen reversed decision by DR.
Wiley, who had pronounced the sub.
stance harmful as a food preservativt
after tests by a poison squad" The
wrangle dragged its way through the
usual course until President Taft up.
held DR.. Wiley.
Dr. Wiley's way of settling some ques.
tions has left many tales of readiness.
of tongue. 1t Is told that on one occa.
sion when he was to address a col
legiate body he appeared in a silk ha
and longtail coat and was refused
admission by a Waterman who said:
stephen Girard laid down in hi
will that no minister of the gospel b,
permitted to enter these grounds"
The hell you say!" DR.. Wiley re-
| torted.
walk right in" said the Waterman
Addressing a seminary graduatin,
class, DR.. Wiley advised the student
/ to get married and avoid domestic dis
cord.
Take my case for instance" h,
| said. My wife handles the mino
| problems and 1 the major ones. N,
trouble ever breaks out; not O singh
major problem arises"
/ While member of the faculty O
/ Purdue University DR.. Wiley riSked ex
/ pulsion to ride an old-fashioned high
wheel bicycle OF a vintage antedatin
| "safeties." The other professors though
1t too radical departure from tn
staid policies of the Institution.
DIR. Wiley was the author Of sew
eral books, including Songs OF ARri
cultural Chemists" Foods and Thei
Adulterations, Principles and Practic
of Agricultural Chemistry" 100
Tests" and Not by Bread Alone" A
the age of 81 he married Miss Ann
Campbell Kelton and had two children
John Preston and Harvey w, jr. Tn
family made Its home in Washington