Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-26
Declines to Allow Bran
deis to Summon Him
as Witness
FOR THE PROSECUTION
Reserved for His Attorney to
Call Whenever He Sees
Fit to Do So.

Washington, March 26.-The Ballin.
ger-Pinchot investigating committee.
after an executive session today.
unanimously decided to deny the re-
quest of Attorney Brandeis, represent
ing Claws and others, that Secretary
Ballinger be called as a witness for
the prosecution" at this time.
DenuncIation Had Fire In Il.
The decision brought out protest
from the attorney which was stinging-
ly denunciatory of the accused cabinet
officer and which was stopped by the
committee.
Said There Would BE Chance.
In announcing the decision of the
committee Senator Nelson said Bal
linger would appear as a witness dur
ing the presentation of his side of the
case and ample opportunity would be
given all counsel for cross-examina-
ton. Brandeis Immediately protested
and demanded to know when Ballinger
would come before the committee. At
torney Vertrees said Ballinger viii
testify when we see fit to put him on
Question of Fitness.
Brandeis renewed his protest and
declared "the one great question be-
fore this committee and before the.
country -ls.sw+ertrvr or not 'IsaIlfnger Is
unfit to occupy his position by reason
OF lack. .ofetruthfulness and :directness.
Ba1linger has been charged by PinchOt
and the witnesses produced by him
with wilfully deceiying the president
and having made statements that are
untrue"
Says Test f. Ordinary One.
The attorney was interrupted by q
member of the committee, but resum-
ing and demanded TO know why Bal
linger Should be protected from those
ordinary tests of veracity to which
other witnesses are subjected"
Brandeis was interrupted again by
informing him the committee believed
their decision right and fair. The at
torney subsidized and the excitement
was over.
Practically Ends Case.
The prosecution" practically closed
its case today. John N. Steele, coun-
sci for the Morgan-Guggenheim syndl-
cate in Alaska, occupied the stand
throughout the morning. He declared
the Guggenheims had never tried to
use undue influence in any direction
or shut out competition In Alaska.
Caused n Surprise.
When the committee met yesterday
Brandeis sprang a surprise by request
ing that Secretary of the Interior Bal
linger be called as one of his wit
nesses. Mr.. Brandeis stated at first
that he wished to identify by Mr. Bal
linger two letters that he desired to
introduce in evidence at this time.
Questioned further by members of the
committee as TO his intent, he admit
ted that he desired to conduct a gen.
eral examination of the accused cab
met official.
Matter is Passed Over.
Counsel for Mr.. Ballinger objected
to this and called forth from Mr.. Bran
deis the remark that from his letters
he had always supposed Mr.. Ballinger
always to be ready to appear.
Some members of the committee
seemed to think that Mr.. Ballinger
should have opportunity to make his
statement first in his own way. The
matter was passed over temporarily.
The witness stand was occupied dur
ing the entire day by Stephen Birch,
director OF the Morgan-Gug-
genheim syndicate in Alaska. Much
of the questioning was intended 70
show that the Guggenheims practically
control Alaska Mr. Birch denied this.