Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-25
DID NOT MAKE CASE
Grounds Upon Which Mr.. Bal
finger Will Be Cleared. e
NO ANSWER Is REQUIRED
Majority of Committee Thinks Find
ings Are Unnecessary.
THREE REPORTS TO BE MADE.
Democrats and Insurgent Repub-
icans Unable to Agree in Their
Conclusions From Testimony.
NO ANSWER is REQUIRED
THREE REPORTS TO BE MADE

The evidence produced against Sec
rotary Ballinger and his administra-
tion Of the Interior Department fell so
far short of showing any maladminis-
tratiOn in Office that no specific findings
on the various charges are necessary.
The evidence produced in connection
with the investigation Of the Interior
Department indicates that the United
States should adopt definite, compre-
hensive and permanent conservation
policy along indicated lines.
Such. in brief, will be the findings
of the majority Of the congressional
committee which last winter and spring
investigated the Ballinger-Pinchot con-
troversy. according to public official
in touch with the committee. The re-
port will deal almost entirely with the
details OF proper conservation policy
for the United States.
Two Minority Reports.
There will be. however. two minority
reports, and they will present far diff
ferent views of Secretary Baliinger's
administration. One OF these will con-
tain the views o. democratic members
OF the committee. and it is understood
that that militant democrat, Repre-
sentative Ollie James, will furnish much
of the material for IL. 1t can be counted
on, II is said by those who know, to
furnish the democrats with some hot
shots for the fall congressional cam
paign. The other minority statement
the insurgents, and will probably be
written by Representative Madison.
There have been reports that the demo-
Gratis and insurgents might get together:
but member of the committee has
expressed the opinion that neither Ollie
James nor Edmond Madison would sign
the others statement.
Meeting in Minneapolis.
The majority report of the committee
may be made public within the next ten
days. BY an agreement reached late In
June the committee will reassemble In
Minneapolis September ). and at that
time. it is hoped, the committee, or at least
a majority. will agree upon report.
Senator Nelson, its chairman, was ex-
pected to frame a report for presentation
at that session and IL the plans do not
go wrong he will have something ready.
The signing OF that report by a ma
jority of the committee would, In the gen
eral belief, be Immediately followed by
its publication.
There is known to be desire among
members of Congress to have the report
come out before the fall congressional
campaign. Especially is this wanted by
republicans, because they desire 1t for
campaign ammunition. Democrats, too.
take hope in the minority report.
There are on the committee eight re-
publicans and four democrats. One Of
the republicans. Representative Madison
of Kansas, is an out-and-Out insurgent.
The other seven republicans are Senators
Nelson of Minnesota, Flint of California.
Sutherland of Utah, Root Of New York
and Representatives Mccall of Massa-
chusetts, Olmsted' of Pennsylvania and
DENLY of Michigan. The democrats are
Senator's Fletcher of Florida and Purcell
James Of Kentucky and Graham OF llli-
nois.
Evidence Found Trivial.
The majority report, 1t is understood.
will touch only briefly on charges brought
against the head of the Interior DEPART
ment. There will be some references
pointed, too--to personal animosities as
being the basis for the attacks made on
Secretary Ballinger. 1t. will also be
mentioned In passing that differences OF
opinion on questions of policy do not
prove ma!administration of public office
on the one hand or sincere devotion to
public interests on the other. Then the
committee will dismiss that phase OF the
investigation by declaring that. anyway,
all the evidence against the Secretary of
the Interior was so trivial I'm its conclu-
siveness that the majority of the COM
mittee did not find il necessary TO make
any specific findings on each of the
charges or to counterbalance the evidence
Of the prosecutor and the defense"
on specific points
AS between Secretary Ballinger and the
Interior Department on the one hand and
Forester Pinchot and the forest service
on the other. the committee will make no
finding. That there was a controversy
between the two heads will probably not
be recognized in the committees report
by even mention.
Outline Conservation Policy.
The committee will then recognize as
its chief work not the deciding Of per-
sonal differences between two groups of
public officials. but the deciding of a
proper conservation policy for tke coun-
try upon which all public officials and
all branches of the government should
unite What this conservation policy
should be will he discussed at length and
specific recommendations will conclude
the verdict.
During the course of the inquiry of
several months the committee devoted
much time to obtaining evidence as to
how best to conserve the natural re-
sources OF the country. Practically all
of the important witnesses were asked
their opinions on the subject and
huge pile of documents relating to it
was accumulated.
Legislation to be enacted BY Congress
to insure the carrying out of the con-
servation policy upon which the ma
jority of the committee will unite will
be an important part of the recommen-
dations. And the committee will take
the view that the passage of the laws
1t favors Will be an important part of
"a. Il