Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-10
OPENS FIRE
Makes Serious Charges
Against George P. McCabe.
DEFENDS FOREST RANGERS
Says Solicitor Withheld Pay of
Those at the Schools.
SPEAKS OF SECRET ATTACK"
Department Official Defends His Ac-
ton, Declaring He Consulted the
Proper Authorities in the Matter.

NEW YORK. February 1o-Giford
Pinchot. deposed chief forester of the
United States, but still loyal to his poll
cies AS president of the national con-
servation commission, defended the
rangers of the forest service in speech
delivered before the National Arts Club
in New York last night, and bitterly as
sailed the action of George p McCabe,
solicitor of the department, who. as tenn
porary chief after Plnchots dismissal,
took action to abolish the collegiate
training Of foresters at government ex-
pense. This action Mr.. Pinchot described
as 'secret attack on the service, pros
titution of the law, a method SO effective
ly used by special interests against the
people, and cruel and needless loss
He said, in part
Il am as proud of the forest service
and its men as l ever was, and ! venture
to think that it has proved lis value by
Its achievements and the enemies it has
made Now, let me give you the best
illustration l have seen in recent years
of how a public officer under pretext of
obedience to the law may traffic with 1t
and abuse it to the public injury.
Upon my dismissal the solicitor of the
Department Of Agriculture George p.
McCabe), pending the arrival Of another
lfOil tie HeIu was llldue dctlDs,
forester for three or four days. 1t appears
that he learned then of the ranger schools
at the four state universities, and sent
kilograms to the disbursing officers in
the field to pay no expense connected
with them.
Speaks of Secret kilograms.
These kilograms were kept secret from
every member of the service in Washing
cont cfo 1y,1,n rr,,o
them. With equal concealment from all
the men in the forest service a letter
was prepared and sent to the controller,
asking for speedy advance decision as
to the legality of the ranger schools This
letter was clearly intended and was so
framed as to secure a decision against
the schools, and it was successful in
doing so.
This letter is a Misrepresentation, be-
cause 1t omits to state the central, es-
sential and incontrovertible facts: First.
that the forest survey must have trained
rangers: and, second. that it can get them
only by training them after they enter
the service. 1t follows that the training
of the rangers by the service Is neces-
sary. and is therefore lawful.
Consider now. the situation under
which this decision of the controller
was obtained. sThe solicitor of the De-
partment of Agriculture is the officer
charged with promoting the welfare of
the department and all it's bureaus on
the legal side. Both as solicitor and act
ing forester he was in honor and duty
bound to forward the work of the for
est service by every lawful means at his
command BY his official position he was
its counsel and advocate. Yet he made
no attempt to assist the service in this
matter. On the contrary, he led the
secret attack upon it and used anxious
and successful care that no attempt to
defend its course should be made by any
other man.