Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-22
TAFT APPROVES
OF lNQUISlTION
WANTS PINCH0T-BALL
CONTROVERSY PR0BED
President Thinks Criticisms Made. Re-
Gently Against Interior Department
Are Intended to Dscredlt His
Governmental Rule
tContinred from PAGE One,

approving a congressional investiga-
tion.-
This knowledge led senators to be-
leve that these records may be far
more extensive than generally sup
posed.
The preamble of Flint's resolution
recited that Whereas, L. r. CLAWS,
then chief of a field division of the
general land office in the department.
of the interior in the month of Au-
gust 1909 laid before the president
certain charges against the conduct OF
the interior department, and particu-
larly affecting the action of the sec
retary of the interior, the assistant
secretary Of the interior, the commits
sioner Of the general land office and
the chief of the field service of said
general land office. having particular
reference to proceedings regarding GER
tain coal lands claims in the territory
of Alaska; and,
Charges Not Sustained
"Whereas, the president thereafter
recommended the dismissal from the
service Of the said L. r. CLAWS on the
grounds his charges were not sus-
tained and that he had been guilty of
Misrepresentation and suppression or
material facts in formulating said
charges" therefore the information
enumerated is requested.
Adoption Of the Flint resolution was
followed by the presentation by SEN
ator Jones of Washington Of letter
from Mr.. Ballinger urging an inquiry
of the broadest scope and expressing
the opinion that it would disclose that
certain officers of the forest service
had been guilty of pernicious activity
in inspiring charges against him.
The Ballinger letter follows:
'fAIU npgr Senator. AuNr lnVpgtiga-
tion by congress of the interior de-
partment or Of any Of its officers
should be sufficiently broad and far
reaching to put at rest the suspicious,
criticisms and representations of cor
rupt or improper practices heretofore
charged against the present admins
tration thereof; and furthermore, such
investigation should embrace the for
est service, since ] have reason to be-
lieye the pernicious activity of certain
of its officers has been the source Of
the inspiration of these charges and
involves in part the common admins
tration of the public domain
Requires Investigation
1.-THE best interests of the interior de-
partment require q broad and thorough
going investigation, and ] assure you
il cannot be made too broad in its scope
to suit me and those under me who
have likewise suffered indignities, un-
just censure and deliberate misrepre-
sentatiOn Of facts that are plain upon
the records
'I therefore court the widest ana
fullest inquiry by congress into these
matters, and since you have stated to
me your desire to aid me in establish
ing before congress and the country the
injustice of the attacks which have
been made, and reiterated from time to
time, l hope there will be no delay i'm
the Offering Of a proper resolution OF
investigation,
1.-THE investigation called for by house
resolution No. 142 to make q full and
complete investigation of the land Of
flee of the department of the interior
during recent years relative to Goa
lands and other public domain in the
territory Of Alaska, etc, is entirely toe
narrow to accomplish a full and impair
tial investigation, such as I desire.
VERY truly yours,
"R. A. BALLINGER,
Secretary"
Mr.. Jones gave notice that unless
some other senator should do so, be
would offer a resolution calling for a
joint congressional investigation,
Proper Tribunal Desired
Having opened the channel FOR q
congressional inquiry the selection OF
the proper tribunal to hear the evil
dence for and against both MIR. Bal
Iinger and Chief Forester Pinchot, be-
comes an important question. Atten-
ton was given to this subject today
Republican leaders in the senate prac-
tically have agreed that Senator Mel
son, chairman Of the committee on pub
lie lands, should be at the head of the
committee.
Senator Gore of Oklahoma today pre-
sented a resolution calling for the ap.
pointment Of Joint committee of eight
senator's and eight representatives &c
investigate matters underlying the Bal
linger-Pinchot controversy. His reso