The Detroit times., 1910-05-16

4
idea OF studying the reclamation SER
vice. Ed. A. Keys, Jack Bailinger's
brother-in-law, had previously been
sent over the reclamation projects by
Ballinger as an inspector. While
Keys was out he wrote to Ballinger
in Washington report from which
this Is substantially one statement:
mot BIG Enough For HE Job"
II agree with you that Newell,
chief OF the reclamation service. Is
not big enough for his job This let
ter ~ now In the record OF the In
vestigatlon where II may be examined.
The Ballinger party, of which I
was a member Travelled through the
northwest all or last summer. We
had been In Seattle one day. and were
planning TO make a trip down through
California. and finally to join Taft on
his western trip In Denver, when Bal
linger got a letter from TAFT contain
ing the CLAWS charges and asking for
Immediately Ballinger switched
his plans. cut the trip short to 20 TO
| Washington at once and answer the
charges from there. Accordingly Bal
| linger, Carr and myself started back
/
day, Sept 3, just before noon.
I'VE had been working on Balm
gers answer to the CLAWS charges
during our trip across the continent
and we were all ready to take up the
work again in the afternoon when
reached the Office All of the officers
concerned were called into consulta-
ton that afternoon. We worked hard
until Sunday. Then Ballinger and
Lawler left Monday night for Bever.
ly They did not return to the Office
again until Thursday morning.
Upon the return Lawler took up
his quarters In Ballinger's private Of
fee. calling in Massey and myself for
| dictation.
| 1T was obvious from the way Law
Ter dictated the letter what II was In
tended to be. Moreover there was no
attempt al concealment. The letter
began: Sir II referred to Ballinger
as You In each case, and the per-
sonal pronoun Il was used through
out From the context the Il could
be no other than Taft himself.
| Purport Is Evident.
There could be no question that
Lawler was drafting letter for
| 4
charges and generating the secre-
tary. 1t was written in such form
that Taft might have adopted II bod
lily.
LAS have said, the letter was dictat-
ed in Ballinger's private office by Law
Ter. Probably half a dozen drafts
were made before the final one was
accepted Each time a fresh draft
was completed II would be taken in
to Lawler, who would revise it. We
wrote everything triple spaced on the
! typewriters and they were repeatedly
corrected and rewritten.
For two days Massey and ! did
nothing but help rush this work. We
dropped the routine office business al
| together and a stenographer was
called in from the stenographic sec
| ton TO handle our regular work.
Lawler frequently consulted Z. C..
Finney, assistant to Ballinger, in the
work of making the drafts
"On the afternoon Of the second
day consultation was held between
Ballnger.~ Lawler, Finney. Comnis-
sioner Fred bennett, of the land Of
fce; Chief of the Field Service
Schwartz, and | think, First Assistant
| Secretary Frank Pierce, and Private
Secretary Carr"
General Criticisms Invited.
The draft was discussed In detail
and II Is my memory that Ballinger
himself read the letter or draft aloud
and general criticisms from the others
were invited and received.
without attempting to force my
own conclusions upon any reader OF
this statement, | want II to be re-
membered that this was the draft OF
the letter generating Ballinger in the
I charges CLAWS has made against him.
The rest of the afternoon. Satur'
day, Sept. IL, was spent In this con-
ference. Massey and l wore contin-
ually in and out OF the room. taking
short dictations upon the suggestions
t ef different ones in the conference.
THE conference cut the draft to
pieces with criticisms and suggestions,
and the whole thing was reyamped. BY
night we were ready to make the final
draft that was to be submitted to the
president at Beverly. We all returned
In the evening, Lawler prepared to
take his train that might. Lawler still
kept his quarters in Ballinger's prl-
yate Office. From the draft mutilated
by the conference We prepared the
final copy.
"Mr. Lawler came out into our room
and asked II the drafts we're ready. He
remained in the room while Massey
finished the fastening-at least, I'm
pretty sure OF that Massey then
asked him what disposition should be
made of the rough drafts. Massey had
carefully preserved all these. He told
Lawler that nothing had been de-
stroyed
"Mr. Carr came into the room about
this time. The four OF us--Lawler.
Carr, Massey and myself--conferred as
to what should be done with the rough
'drafts-what was the best way to dis
pose OF them. The suggestion was
made by some one of us that they be
burned ,Lawler said that II wouldn't
be safe to trust them to the waste
basket. Then, I think II was Carr who
declared that they ought to be burned
This was done.
The general arrangement of facts
and the order in which they come In
the presidents letter are practically
identical with the arrangement Of facts
in the final Lawler draft, or so-called
memorandum.
Now. 1t is my belief that Taft him
self added the latter part OF his letter
of Sept 10, the section that takes up
the matter of general conservation OF
natural resources. The people will re-