Evening star., 1933-11-14
Report Declares "DiIution OF
Personnel With Political
Appointees Avoided"
LEVUL0SE PRODUCTION
WORK Is ELIMINATED
Scientific Investigation in Explo-
siVes and Fuels, by Bureau of
Mines, Curtailed:

Although "the wings Of scientific in
quiry throughout the Government
service have been clipped" according to
survey made for the Washington sec
ton of the American Chemical Society
by Otto Wilson, local chemical engineer,
most of the activities are being con-
tihued on a reduced scale, but with
some important exceptions.
The dilution of the personnel with
political appointees has been entirely
avoided in the scientific branches" he
declares in his report, which is pub
lished in this months news edition of
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.
The following results are listed:
Elimination Of levulose production
work at the Bureau of Standards, with
separation of three chemists and seven
trained operatives. The object of this
work was to lay the foundations of a
new American industry for the produc-
tion of levulose sugar from Jerusalem
artichokes.
Laboratory Shut Down.
Shutting down of the Photographic
emulsion laboratory at the Bureau of
HAIAA tAlC llOll u tkll &C
chemists.
Reduction of SO per cent in the or
ganic and fibrous materials research of
the Bureau of Standards
Elimination of the work on plastics
and plastic material in the leather sec
ton, with the loss of four out of nine
trained workers.
Dropping of all research on testing
methods for paper at the Bureau Of
Standards. Great reduction in the
work on soil pipe erosion, with the drop
ping of seven men. Reduction of 10
per cent in the researches dealing with
fabrication and liquid fuels.
Elimination Of the organic chemical
laboratory of the Bureau of Mines at
Pittsburgh, with the loss of three chemi-
cal specialists.
Explosive STAFF Reduced.
Reduction Of the staff Of the explo-
sives laboratory of the Bureau of Mines
by five chemists and virtual elimination
of the research work. The appropria-
tion was reduced by so per cent.
Reduction by 60 per cent Of the funds
for the fuels laboratory of the Bureau
of Mines Most of the fundamental re-
search is being conducted ON re-
duced scale.
Dropping of three trained chemists
from the staff Of the Bureau OF Mines
physical chemistry laboratory and of
nine other chemists from other bureau
laboratories.
Dropping of IL employees from the
Bureau of Mines petroleum laboratory
at Bartlesville, Okla. The study of
making motor fuels from natural gas
has been dropped entirely. Closing of
the petroleum reseach laboratory at
Laramie, Wyo., and dropping Of three
chemists at the California laboratory.
Dropping one research associate from
the chemical staff of the Bureau of
Fisheries and practical suspension of
the seasonal Summer work, in which
faculty members from various colleges
were utilized
Drop IS From Staff.
Dropping of 65 from the staff of the
Bureau of Chemistry and Soils of the
Department OF Agriculture. Only one
or two, however, we're trained chemists.
Practically all the research projects
were continued.
Dropping of % from the staff of the
Food and Drug Administration, includ-
ing four or five chemists.
Slowing down Investigations Of the
Bureau of Animal Industry. A typical
example cited is the curtailment of the
poison weed investigation in Texas
These weeds are said to have killed
800 900 sheep in 1881.
Other Government branches. 1t Is re-
ported, have kept their personnel and
continued most of their major re-
searches, although on a reduced scale