The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-01-02
ilingeT Pinchot Prob e
Most Important Question
Awaiting Congress.
JOINT RESOLUTION
SURE OF PASSAGE
Investigation Expected to Result
May Include a Trip to Alaska
by Committee.

Members Of the House and Senate who
have been home for the holidays are
hurryinE back TO Washington for the
reopening Of the session of Congress
Tuesday, January + From that time on.
for four months or more. the two
houses will he in almost 0aiIy operation,
legislating and avoiding legislation
10 end OF Important matters confront
Congress, and while the prevailing eX-
peCtatio1 IS that there viii be little gen
eraI legislation OF an important char
srter. an extremely interesting winter
and spring At the Capitol is ahead
Of foremost importance viii he the in
vestiEatiOn into the Interior Department
and the Forest Service ana The various
FsmIfcations Of the BallinEeT-PinchOt
controversy It Is expected that the
first day Of the session VIII witness the
Introduction OF the joint resolution au-
thorizinC the investigation. Senator
Jones Of Washington friend and cham
pion Of Secretary Ballinger, viii intro
Cuce the resolution Its passage viii
apparently not be delayed and by the
end Of the legislative week il viii
doubtless be through both houses and
signed ny the President
Little Delay.
Once the resolution has been passed
there viii be the least possible delay
On the uarr Of the committee in OrEaniz-
ing and getting down TO the business OF
investigation. Senator Nelson Of Mime
sofa is still freely talked n as the
ur0ba bic chairman of the committee ap-
pointed to represent the Senate IN the
investigation. and IF so he viii head
the joint committee
Evidences Of great public interest IN
the investigation are not lacking, and
for q time at least the sessions Of the
committee are likely to command al
most as much notice as Congress itself /
II is the purpose 70 have public hear
ings. and it is likely one Of the CommO-
dious halls Of the Senate Office building
7iII be utilized for this purpose
Called before the committee viii he a I
distinguished array of official and for
ner official talent. including Secretary
Of the Interior BaIlinEeT. Assistant Sec
retarv Pierce. Land Commissioner Den
nett Secretary Wilson, Chief Forester
Pnchot. Assistant Forester Price. Di- !
rector Newell. OF the Reclamation SeTv-
Ice former Secretary Of the Interior
Garfield, Corin5ssioner Of Corporations /
Herbert Knox smith. l. R CLAWS. the i
depOSed special agent who Is author Of /
the charges against BalliuEeT. and z
long list Of other officials In view of 4
the tact Attorney General Viz Hers2arn !
bas had more or less TO do with the |
Claws charges, he IS likely 10 he called /
IN.
May Go Deep
Not only viii all Of these officials and
former officials he summoned. along
with many Of less importance. but the !
chances are the committee viii be /
forced 20 80 deep into the charges that /
Alaskan public lands are being looted /
and gathered into the grip Of biz com /
binations-
Postmaster General Hitchcock even /
may be called in. on account of the 4
charges made that Secretary BaIIiugeE ]
was put into the Cabinet in pursuance {
Of a big political deal involving the Oh .
tanning Of delegates 20 the Chicago CON
VenLon from the state or Washington 4
and other parts Of the Northwest I'll +
Is expected the iuveSJICa ton VIII btt 4
long drawn out. and that before IL IS 4
over there viii be- "A trip TO Alaska.
Another investigation which VIII at
tract much notice viii he the ore pro-
posed into the workings Of the civil G
service The expectation now Is tha- 4
early date by the Senate {
Taft's Special Message. /
President Taft viii send 10 Congress.
not later than Wednesday. his special 4
message on amendments TO the inter
state commerce laws and for national /
Incorporation measure LEGISLATION
along these lines will occupy nlucn at J
tention throughout the rest OF tire scs-
sion The prohab abilities are there viii I
Be much discussion and Ii-IIe done
House and Senate insurgents are PLAN
mig on being active They VIII fight
ship subsidy legislation and u5- sup
port the passage OF a postal savings
bank measure In the House, no chance
viii be overlooked by the insurgents To &
keep up the agitation for changes in
the rules and for driving Uncle joe /.
70 declaration that he will nor again L
be a candidate for Speaker
An Investigation Of the Navy Depart
ment VIII be diSCUsser and the indi-
cations are that one KID he ordered
before the session is over
Much time VIII be taken with ap-
preparations and The efforts Of the lead
ers TO economic will probably profrs ct
the discussion Of a3prOp-fE ton bills (
The supporters Of river ara harn1r
appropriations and Of public building
measure viii make 4 hard f7eE- 10 pre-
vent these bills being sidetraczed. bur
unless they are. there is little prospect
Of cutting down the appropriations from
the mark fixed last winter