Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-05-13
61st. CONGRESS-.
Ba||inger Admits Ante
dating CLAWS Summary.
Railroad Bill Amendments Are
Likely 10 Be Defeated.
Rep. Cox Says Food at National
Homes Is Inadequate.

Washington. May T.. Tie surpriS"
of the dav in the Ballingcr -Pinrhot
inquiry today was the reading by Sec
rotary Ballnger of Il letter addressed
by Attorney General Wickcrsham to
II House committc" in which he made
the admissions that he ante dated the
summary Of the CLAWS charges which
he prepared for the President
Mr. Wickcrsham says he discussed
the matter with the President and sup
piled him with q mass IF information
bearing on the subject. but that tn"
summary "necessariy was made up
a'tcrward and properly bore the date
upon which the matter it contained
was presented to ard considered by
the President" Coincidcnt with the
making public of this letter a reply
was received from Oscar LAWYER. as
sistant to the attorney general, for the
interior department. who also was
concerned in the preparation of the
letter of SCOT. Is. 1909. generating
Secretary Balingcr and dismiSainG
CLAWS. It said that he had kcot n"
copy of his memorandum Mr.. LAWYER
said also that he prepared II resume
at the request of the President, and
delivered it to the attorney general
In compliance with a renewed re"
quest by Attorney Brandcis. counsel
for CLAWS the committee again called
on the attorney general for this m"m-
Orandum TO-DAY. CLAWS counsel is
trying to prove to the committee and
the country. that LAWYER, who WAS
practically an cmpioyc Of the interior
department, really tried the CASE
for the President and that the attor-
ney general subsequent to the pro-
mitigation of the verdict" prepared
a summary in an effort to Justify the
Presidents action.
The cross examination of Secretary
Ballingcr was almost concluded today
Attorney Pepper, counsel for eN-Forester
Pinchot will question him for Il short
time tomorrow on the subject of ia
withdrawal of water power sites In all
probability Mr. Ballinser will be cxcus-
cd from the stand at the end of the
morning session. II. H. Schwartz. chief
of the field division of the general land
office. will succeed Mr.. BalIiuger on the
stand. lie Is one of the ''defcuce'S" two
important witnesses remaining.
Nearly an hour was spent by Mr.. Bal
finger in reading documents relative to
decisions of the interior department on
the construction of the regulations pro-
hibiting former employees from appear
ing before the department within two
years after the Scvcring of their conncc-
ton herewith. in the prosecution of land
cases pending at the time they were in
the department
documents. 81, ,1,.,t
cation of the matter had been made at
the instance of Secretary Garfield after
Mr.. Ballincer and his nephew. j. H. Bal
iinger. had sought to appear before the
department in the Bayes case, The result
was that it was recommended to Mr.
Garfield that the matter should he nsr-
mitted to remain in statu quo Mr. Bal
lnger said that there was nothing in tho
records to show what action Mr. Gar
field had taken upon that report. Mr.
Ballinger contended that it was under.
stood ut that time that the prohibition
applied oily to cases involving none.
transactions. Mr. Ralincer in the mean
time had withdrawn from the Bayle
case, but Jack Ballinger was permitted
to appear in it before the department
Questioning the secretary about hi
connection VITA the Cunningham clam
ants, MIR. Rrandeis referred the witnes
to IL statement in his letter to the Pres
dent that he had not been Il legal repre-
sentative" of the Cunningham claimant,
Mr. Bailinger reiterated his forme
statement that he had merely acted fc
them as Il matter CT accommodation.
Referring to the testimony before I'll