The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-28
COUNSEL REHASH
BALLINGER CASE
Sides Upheld and Flayed in
Arguments.

1 Argument began yesterday In the Bal
linger-Pinchot controversy before the
! Congressional investigating committee.
Louis D. Brandeis. representing I. R.
/ CLAWS, who first brought charges against
Secretary Bsllinger, opened. and was fol-
lowed by George w. Pepper. attorney for
| Clifford Pinchot. the deposed Chief For
ester,
| John J. Vertrees. chief counsel for Mr..
Ballinger. then began his reply for the
( defense, and was in the midst OF his
argument when the committee took a re-
cess late IN the afternoon, after five
hours Of oratorical bombardment.
Mr.. Vertrees viii conclude this fore
noon, and Mr.. Brandeis and Mr.. Pepper
will then have two hours in which 70
close their case.
All the members Of the committee. ex-
cept Senator Root. were present yester-
day. and there was an array of specta-
tors that taxed the capacity OF the in
qulsitorial chamber.
Argument of Brandeia.
In opening Mr.. Brandeis asked the
committee 10 decide the question:
Is Mr.. Ballinger n man singIe-handed.
able. enlightened. so zealouslv devoted
to the interests Of the common people.
so vsilant and resolute IN resisting the
nsldlous aggression OF the special inter
ests that he may be safely relied upon
20 carry forward the broad policy OF con-
servattOn OF our national resources?" Mr.
Brandeis held that Secretary Bauinger
does not meet these simple tests. and
that the fact has been established in the
Congressional inquiry.
Attorney Pepper declared that the tes-
umony proved that the course pursued in
the Interior Department has been without
fidelity TO the public interest; that Mr.
Ballinger is responsible for the entire |
series Of unhappy events. and that Presi- |
dent Tart would never have found him |
self irrevocably committed 10 an indorse- |
ment had he not been deceived.
UPhOIdS Mr.. BaninEer.
Vertrees, chief counsel for Ballinger.
began his reply by announcing thar what
he would say would be- addressed 10 the
committee and not the reporters. who. at
times. obeyed only one Of the ten com
the one referring 70 their
daily bread" Representative OInsted
asked him which commandment he meant
and his face grew red as he said be
meant the Lords prayer.
Then he stated that his assault o-
Secretary Ballinger had been diverted 10
the President whose character is as
5potless as a star" and that former
Garfield IS one Of those 'gener-
al welfare men," men whose good in
-entions changed 20 desire for revenge
when he learned Mr.. Balllnger would sue
,eed him. He assailed Pinchot and other
igures Of the opposition in frequent cpl ,
grammatical characterizations.
Principals Are Absent.
None OF the principals In the famous p
was present Claws, the .
lrigtnal complainant against Secretary :
3allinger, IS out in the state OF Idaho d
ooking after his fruit farm.
Clifford Pinchot, the deposed Chief For ?
ster, has not returned from Europe 2
where he went to meet Col. Theodore
Roosevelt. '
James r. Garfield, Mr. Ballinger's pre- Y
ecessor at the head Of the Interior De- 4
artment is out in Ohio looking after g
is political forces. =
Secretary Ballinger. the defendant IN h
no case, was presumably in attendance / fl
the regular Cabinet meeting at the 9
White House $
Stenographer Kerby. who achieved a
anne Of one kind or another over night Z Il
Y his disclosures that resulted in the o.
elated production OF tho T.aurler r,,ar,or / 2,
ndum. was In attendance, but he made
imscf inconspicuous in the back row n
spectators. u
Attorney Brandeis opened the argu- el
Ient- Those who expected pyrotechnlcs
a spectacular kind from him were T.
sappointed as his manner and methods 81
ere purely argumentative. n