The San Francisco call., 1909-12-22
CONGRESSIONAL
INQUIRY WILL
SETTLE CLASH
Senate Asks President for All
Papers Relating to Alaska
Coal Lands Case
Pinchot's Scalp Safe, but Two
of His Sub0rdinates Said to
Be Slated for the AK
Especial Dispatch 10 The Call

Especial Dispatch 10 The Call
WASHINGTON. Dec 21.-The frs
steps were taken today in the senat,
toward making an investigation of TIL,
general land office and the forest serv
ice. with a view to settling the Bal
linger-Pinchot controversy. A resolu
ton drawn up by Attorney Genera
Wickersham and approved by the presi
dent was introduced by Senator Flint
calling upon the president for tn,
papers dealing with the Alaska Goa
land cases and the CLAWS charges.
The preamble of tits resolution re
cited that
Whereas, L. r. GIavis. shen chief
of the field division of the general
land office in the department of the
interior, in the month of August,
1903, laid before the president Ger
tain charges against the conduct of
the interior department and par
ticularly affecting the action of the
secretary of the interior. the assist
ant secretary of the. interior. the
commissioner of the land office and
the chief of the field service of the
said general land office, having par
ticular reference to proceedings re-
garding certain coal lands claims in
the territory of Alaska: and
Whereas, the president thereafter
recommended the dismissal from
the service of the said l.. r. CLAWS,
on the grounds that his charges
were not sustained and that he had
been guilty of Misrepresentation
and suppression of material facts
in formulating said charges;
Therefore the informa ton emu
merated is requested
Flint had scarcely taken his sea
when Senator Jones of Washington,
warm personal friend of Ballinger sait
he would probably offer resolution
after the holidays providing for an in
vestigation, and Jones then read tn,
following letter from Ballinger:
BALLINGER LETTER READ
My Dear Senator: Any investiga-
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 sus-
picions, criticisms and representa-
tions of corrupt or improper prac-
tices heretofore charged against
the present administration thereof.
and furtherfore, such investigation
should embrace the forest service,
since I have reason to believe that
of it's officers has been the source
of the inspiration of these charges
and involves in part the common
administration of the public do
main.
The best interests of the interior
department require a broad and
thorough investigation. and 1 as
sure you it can not be made too
broad in its scope to suit me and
those under me, who have likewise
suffered indignities, unjust censure
and deliberate Misrepresentation of
facts that are plain upon the rec
ords.
/ therefore court the widest and
fullest inquiry by congress into
these matters, and since you have
in establishing before congress and
the country the injustice of the at
tacks which have been made and
reiterated from time to time, I
hope there will be no delay in the
Offering of a proper resolution of
investigation.
The investigation called for by
house resolution No 142. to make a
full and complete investigation of
the land office, of the department of
the interior. during recent years
relative to GOAL lands and other
public domain in the territory of
Alaska. etc, is entirely too narrow
to accomplish a full and impartial
investigation such as l desire.
Very truly yours,
r. A. BALLINGER, Secretary.
aRETURN FROM ELBA CLUB-
Stories are current TO the effect tha
the president has given his approva
to an investigation because he has be-
come convinced that Clifford Pinchot
James r. Garfield, Finley p. Dunno ant
several magazines have started "con.