New-York tribune., 1910-01-09
PINCHOT RETIRES
WITH DEFIANCE
TO CARRY ON FIGHT
OUT OF OFFICE.
Presidents fiction 4pproUed
by COngressmen- for
Investigation.
rFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]

from The Tribune Bu-esuI
Washington. Jan. S.-The dismissal of
Clifford PinchOt chief Of the Forest Ser
vice. was the principal topic of conver-
sation in Washington to-day. At the
Capitol. in the hotel Iobbies and in the
departments the new turn in the contro-
versy overshadowed as subject for dis
cussion even the Presidents message
dealing with the most important prob
lens with which Congress will deal this
winter With scarcely an exception ths
Republican members of the Senate and
House declared that the President had
done nothing more than his plain duty.
I'm friend Of Pinchot. and Ike him
immensely. He has done some splendid
work but he created a situation which
the President had TO meet. The letter
to DoIliver could not pass unnoticed. n
is most unfortunate situa ticn. but the
Presidents action was brought on By
Mr.. Pinchot himself Mr. Taft simply
had to discharge him.
The foregoing is an epitonne Of the Re-
publican view as expressed by many
members of Congress friendly to the
chief forester
MR. PINCHOT'S FAREWELL SHOT.
Mr.. Pinchot made it clear to-day Ia
addresses to the officers of the Forest
Service and the clerks Of that organiza-
tion that his battle with Secretary Bal
linger and the administration had not
ended While smiIingly declining to ex-
press any personal opinion about his re-
moval from office. he also refused to dis
cuss his plans for the future.
Mr. Pinchot arrived at his office early
in order TO put his affairs in order and
withdraw as quickly as possible A
meeting OF the officials who had been un-
der him had already been arranged for
| 1918 o'clock. and three-quarters of an
hour later the clerical force of the Forest
| Service arrived in his office to say
| goodby
In addressing the men with whom he
| had been most intimately associated Mr..
Pinchot said he wanted them to rernen-
ber first that they must never forget
that the fight in which you are engaged
! for the safe and decent handling of our
timber lands is infinitely larger than any
| mans personal presence or personal fut-
ures-" Continuing he said:
FIGHT MUST GO ON"
This fight must go on. and YOU are
! the men who must carry it on, Stay
by the work; hold fast 10 the stand
ards we have set together Never allow
| yourselves TO forget that you are serv
| ing much greater master than the De-
| partment of Agriculture, or even the ad-
ministration"
In addressing the clerks Mr. PinchOt
advised them TO maintain the service at
| the same standard and to press along
the same lines. and never to forget they
we're the servants of the people OF the
| United States. responsible to them and
| TO them alone.
Il don't want you TO get the idea-and
this Is my personal end Of 1t" he said.
that because / am going out of the SER
vice I am in any way losing my interest
| in it or my touch with il or with YOU
Conservation is my life work. in the gov
ernment service or out of 1t And this is
the most important piece of conservation
work there is Therefore I propose to
know about II. TO follow the work you
are all doing. to keep my interest in il
and, so far as that is in any way posi-
BILE. 10 keep in touch with it and my
knowledge of 1T
Mr. Pinchot's words were greeted with
loud applause After bidding farewell 10
all the employees he left the building
None of the officials would discuss the
real and hidden meaning of Mr.. Pinchot's
declarations His friends also refused
to discuss his words. although it was
generally conceded that they breathed
defiance and were in the nature of an
announcement that the former Chief For
ester regarded himself still as guardian
of what in the recent controversy had
been called the interests of the people"
George P. McCabe. the solicitor for the
Department of Agriculture, called on Mr.
PinchOt early this morning and took
charge of the Forest Service, He will
act until the return 10 Washington OF
Albert F. Potter. who has been desig7
mated as acting forester Throughout
the Forest Service there is feeling OF
alarm as to what may become of the or
ganization, which. TO a large extent. has
been the work of Mr.. Pinchot- Whether
there is TO be a further shake-up was a
question that caused much concern to-
day.
At the Capitol the positive announce
ment was made that the dismissal OF
Mr. Pinchot would in no way interfere
with an early and exhaustive investiga-
ton of the Department of the Interior.
the general land offices and the forest
service.
HOUSE RESOLUTION MODIFIED.
The Senate Committee on Public
Lands was in session for two hours this
morning discussing the Jones resolution
for the appointment of a committee OF
six Senators and six Representatives to
conduct this investigation. This resOlu-
ton provides that the Senate members
of the committee shall be appointed by
the President and the House men,
bers by the Speaker. In view of the ac-
ton of the House yesterday in providins
that the House members shall be elected
Senators Newlands and Hepburn sus-
gested that the resolution be modified To
conform To this plan. y majority of the
committee, however, took the position
that. the Senate had not been Off
cially advised of the action of the
House, the usual plan of having the
committee named by the presiding off,