Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-23
MESSAGE FROM
ROOSEVELTCALLS
PINCHOT
Former Chief Forester on
Way to Naples for
Conference
SUMMONS SURPRISES
Root Said to Have Sent
Colonel 7. X. Bulky
Communication
SUMMONS SURPRISES
[Assoclated Press1

ASSOCIATED Pressl
VIZ ASHINGTON, March 22.-Wash-
! w ington today woke up to the
fact that Clifford Pinchot, whom
President Taft recently removed from
the position of chief forester of the
United States, was on the ocean, al
ready four days out on the steamer
President Grant, on his way to meet
former President Roosevelt, probably
at Naples.
Mr.. Pinchot is due at Hamburg next
Monday Colonel Roosevelt is to ar
rive at Naples on the following Satur-
day.
The widely current rumor here is
| that Mr.. Pinchot goes to meet the re-
! turning traveller in compliance with d
| summons received by cable Friday.
! Nobody in a position to know would
| either confirm or deny this part of the
story. There is no disposition to deny
that Mr.. Pinchot's principal errand
| abroad is to meet Mr. Roosevelt.
1t is to be taken for granted the eX-
president will receive from the deposed
chief forester. with whom he was on
peculiarly intimate terms, his first di-
| rect information bearing on the Bal
linger- Pinchot controversy from any
of the principals in that dispute.
Root May Have Sent Letter
1t was rumored here today that Sem
| ator Root, a member of the investi-
eating committee and secretary of
state in the Roosevelt cabinet, had
written to Mr.. Roosevelt at Khartoum
on the subject. Senator Root would
not talk about the matter, and no con-
frmation of the rumor was obtainable
| from any other source If it We're
true it might afford at least a partial
reason for the supposed cablegram to
| Mr.. Pinchot.
Mr. Pinchot's friends here scoff at
| the suggestion he would quit the in
vestigation of the controversy in which
he is SO deeply concerned on the eve
of Secretary Ballinger's testimony in
| order to seek an uninVited interview
with the former president.
On the other hand, those who know
| Mr.. Roosevelt say he is too good a
politician not to realize that to give
Pinchot an unsought hearing before he
had had an opportunity to discuss the
matter with President Taft or some
member of his political family would
be generally regarded as direct slap
at an administration he would natu-
rally feel bound to support
Slips Away Quietly
Mr. Pinchot slipped away from
| w hSIllllBlOH quietly last lluely CNGl-
| ing, and next day sailed from New
York for Europe. His absence on Sat
urday from the allinger-Pinchot
hearing, at which he has been a con-
stant attendant, attracted little atten-
tion, though he had not intimated to
| his associates that he intended to go
away for a long trip.
| Thomas r. Shipp, secretary Of the
National Conservation association, of
| which Mr.. Pinchot is president, said
roday that the former forester had gone
| to Europe for a much needed Vaca-
ton" He said Mr.. Pinchots side Of
| the case had practically all been pre-
sented, and he felt it was an oppor-
tune time for him to go away. He ad-
mitted Mr. PinChot had made up his
mind about the trip rather suddenly,
but he professed to know nothing OF
the reported RooseVelt-Pinchot meet
! ing. He did not attempt to deny that
Mr.. Pinchot might see his former chief
before he returned to the United states.
Issues Formal Statement
Later Mr.. Shipp issued the following
formal statement:
Mr.. Pinchot sailed for Europe on
the President Grant of the Hamburg
American line last Saturday afternoon.
He will go to Copenhagen, Denmark,
where he will visit his sister, Lady
Johnston. Mr.. Pinchot has been work.
ing hard and felt that a vacation for a
while would do him good. l do not
know when he will return. He has en-
g gements in the United States early
in May"
The only address Mr.. Pinchot left be-
hind him at his Washington residence
was Copenhagen, and large number
of letters and kilograms are being for
Warded to him there in care of his SIS
ter. The former foresters mother ac-
companied him to New York, but re-
l.. g.E R,f,rs oil
son, Amos r. Pinchot. His private sec
retary remained behind. He also de
clared Mr.. Pinchot was simply gOinc
abroad for rest. He said Mr.. Pinchot
was expected back about April 20. In
that case the meeting would have L
take place before Mr. Roosevelt reache
London, as he is not due there befoI.
May 10.
Associates Are Reticent
Mr.. CLAWS, former chief agent of
the general land office, who has been
closely associated with Mr.. Pinchot in
the fight against Secretary Ballinger.
said tonight that he was surprised to
learn that Mr.. Pinchot had gone
abroad and knew nothing of his plans.
Equally reticent is Charles w. Pepper,
his lawyer, now in Philadelphia. New
ertheless, it is accepted here as a fact
that Mr.. Pinchot is going to Europe
to meet Mr.. Roosevelt.
In former days, no one was more
welcome-or, it might be added, more
constant-visitor to the White House
than Clifford Pinchot He became a
member of the now famous tennis
cabinet" and to all appearances Pin
chot was the synonym for President
Roosevelt's last word in conservation.
When Mr.. Roosevelt retired he COM
mended Pinchot highly to President
Taft, and it was not until the ex-presi-
dent entered the jungles that evidences
of discord between Secretary Ballinger
and Forester Pinchot came to the sur
face
OF the controversy which ensued,
causing the president much embar-
rasment and engendering unceasing
bitterness between the rival factions.
Mr. Roosevelt probably knew little of
nothing until he reached Khartoum,
Egypt, on Monday of last week. There