The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-06
Secretary Ri|ed at Questions
ON Examination
by Attorney
ALL OFFICIAL ACTS ARE
DEFENDED BY BALL|NGER
Admission Is Made BY The Secretary
That He Referred 10 CLAWS When
He Said Some Snakes Had
to BE Killed

Washington. May 5.-Seeretary Ballinger
conducted his direct testimony at the
Ballinger- -Pnchot hearing this afternoon
with the statement that his every official
act had been with the sole idea of full
filling his trust.
II defy anyone to put his finger on
anything that l have done While in the
public service which was not in line
with my duty and In accordance with my
trust he said AS though in acceptance
of the challenge, Attorney Brandeis,
counsel for l.. r. CLAWS. enc of Balling-
er's chief accusers, then took up the
cross-examination of the Witness Within
five minutes the expected clash between
them had taken place and on the very
first question Mr. Brandeis had to appeal
to the committee to request" Mr.. Bal
linger to answer it.
The question involved Postmaster Cen
eral Hitchcock as the official pie dis
tributer' of the administration. Mr..
Brandeis wanted to know why Mr.. Bal
linger had wired Chief of Field Division
Schwartz to wait until he had talked
pointment of 10 special agents to be en-
ployed in the Alaskan coal cases investi-
cation. Mr.. Ballinger said that fact had
no political significance and declined to
answer more explicitly. A wrangle be-
tween Mr.. Brandeis and meIhbers of tho
committee ensued and the result was a
record vote, by which the committee, by
nf 6 ~ laat Mr. Pal
lnger need not answer more fully. Mr..
| Ballinger admitted the now famous AS
soeisted Press interview. in which he de-
| clared after his return to Washington.
| subsequent to publication of the CLAWS
charges. that he proposed to kill some
| snakes.
CLAWS Called Snake
He also admitted he had reference
| to CLAWS, who. he had made up his
mind, "ought to be killed a snake"
| Hc said CLAWS had .loafed on the
job" in conducting the Alaskan cases
and that he never had thought as
much OF Claws ability as did some
others in his department.
Attorney Brandeis was scarcely well
| landed into cross examination before
the committee adjourned. but in the
hour and half he faced the secre-
| tary he succeeded I'm arousing the lat
| ter's anger several times.
| Early in the day Mr.. Ballnger con-
| tradicted two statements made by For
| mer Secretary Garfield. lie testified
| also that after Pinchot's dismissal
there had been complete reversal of
the forestry policy of the government
and said he believed it would keep a
great many Americans from emigratinq
to Canada and would result in the de-
velopment of many portions of the
forest reserves.
hitherto unpublished letter frola
the President to Mr.. Ballinger undes.
date of September 13, 1099 was read In
| II the President expressed a desire to
retain Pinchot, but said his weakness
lay in his ability to credit high and
honorable motives to those who differ
with him as to his method of doin;,
things" The letter is as follows:
Letter From Taft
my Dear Mr.. Secretary-I send Won
in letter form my conclusions in re
CLAWS charges and other matters. |
have studiously refrained from men,
tionng Pinchot's name in the matter
because l don't wish to make 1t i'm
possible for him to remain in tho
service.
II value him highly as a public SER
want and believe him capable OF fur
ther great usefulness. His weakness
has been his inability to credit high
and honorable motives to those who
differ with him as to his method of
doing things, when he is pursuing n.
worthy object with all the enthusiasm
of his nature.
II know him we'll and am very fond
of him personally and mean, If possible,
in spite OF this defect to preserve his
great ability valuable experience and
patriotic, disnterested zeal for the bene-
fit of the public service. Please. there
fore. advise your subordinates to be very
particular not to involve Mr. Pinchot
in this matter, and to rest silent In
view of the complete acquttal they re-
ceive from my letter.
Should 1t be necessary as it is not
unlikely, to subMit all this record and
evidence to Congress. | shall be glad to
have your authority and that of your
| spbordinates to leave out of your answer
any reference to Pinchot or the part he
took in bringing CLAWS report to my
attention.
'I have every confidence in both you
and Mr.. Pinchot. | know you are both
patriotic and sincere, and favor General
" the same result as to conservation but
you are lawyer. like me, and Insist on
the legal way, while Pinchot is impatient
of such restraint. ! wish to secure the
high value of the service of YOU both
for the great work befose us Sincerely
yours, WILLIAM Fl. TAFT
"P. S.-You are at liberty to publish
the main letter enclosed as soon as you
desire on second thought. perhaps 1t
would have more weight II | gave It
out after have given time for you to
| receive It. In other words, I shall give
it out wednesday night for Thursday
morning papers"
Visit to Guggenheim
! Mr.. Brandeis called the attention OF
| the witness to letter written to Com
missioner bennett last fall by Special
Agent McEnery. stating that Senator
Guggenheim had called on the President
in behalf of Dennett's retention as COM
missioner.
WAY was Guggenheim so anxious to
have bennett retained asked Mr.. Bran
| des.
II don't know anything about H." re-
| piled the witness.
Mr. Brandeis then read a letter written
CONTINUED ON PAGE ~