HEARINGS BEFORE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE. 385 
Department of Agriculture wants an opinion of the law of the Govern- 
ment they would have to go to the Attorney-General to get it? 
Mr. Burcu. It has this effect; he has a legal mind and prepares all 
these papers and goes into the United States courts and assists the 
United States courts. The court officers have refused to take up many 
cases he has taken up, and he has furnished the evidence and assisted 
the attorneys, which they have given him great credit for in accom- 
plishing the results. 
The Cuarrman. Do you know whether these solicitors or attorneys 
in the several departments are paid for from the law department? 
Mr. Burcu. They are paid by every department; each pays for its 
own law officers. There is not a department except the Agricultural 
Department but has a law department. 
The Cuatrman. I believe it is all wrong. I think they ought to be 
employed by the Department of Justice and then detailed to the several 
departments. That might be of practical use. 1 do not see how you 
can appoint a law officer and have him try your cases. 
Mr. Burcu. He is, and has been recognized as such. He assists the 
United States attorneys throughout the country. He goes and secures 
the evidence and he tries the cases. 
The Cuarrman. The cases are tried? 
Mr. Burcu. They are tried. 
The Cuarrman. That is my point; I thought you read from your 
brief there that he tried these cases. 
Mr. Burcu. He has assisted in these cases, and convictions have 
been secured through the evidence he has worked up, and when he 
has briefed the cases for the attorneys; they absolutely refused in 
several cases, and said that they had no case; and he furnished the 
evidence and secured convictions. 
Mr. Bows. He acted as associate counsel in many of the cases? 
Mr. Buron. Yes, sir; but that is not the principal thing—these 
prosecutions for violation of the law—but it is making the contracts 
that will stand in law and looking up evidence in regard to this pure- 
food business in the Chemistry Division. He is constantly at work 
searching through the statutes in regard to the business pertaining to 
the Department. He is drawing these contracts, letters of authority, 
and he has as much work as any other man in the Department. We 
had about as well do without a chief clerk or a Department clerk. 
The CHarrman. He has not any color of law; that is all there is 
about it. The law business of the Government is eg to be car- 
ried on by the law department. He acts in an advisory capacity, 
perhaps? 
Mr. Burcu, Yes. 
Mr. Scorr. I presume that is chiefly what his office is. 
The Cuarrman. All of these Departments have Auditors from. the 
Treasury—the Auditor for the Post-office Department, and so on; I 
can see perhaps the necessity for a man down there who has a good 
‘knowledge of law, in an advisory way; but my point is that he should 
form a part of the force of the law department of the Government 
and be detailed there. ; 
Mr. Burcu. I will say for the information of the committee that 
the Department of Justice is very slow in taking action. Last spring, 
in June or May, I contracted for a piece of land. Let me make a little 
statement which will show you the condition we would be in if we 
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