The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-03-01
Letter to Pinchot in Septem-
Der Urges Him Not to
Leave Service.
I'LL NOT REPEAT
TALKS WITH TAFT
Three Alleged Misstatements of
Facts Brought Out at
Investigation.

closed today when Clifford Pincllot. the
( discharged Chief Forester. read from
the witness stand at The Congressional
committees hear ng Of the BallinCer-
/ Pirchot controversy, today, a letter %
/ hha from President Taft. dated Septem-
/ Der l3, in which tho writer besought him
| not 10 leave the public service because
/ Of tho Presidents ex@Eeration OF Secre-
! tarv 9allinger.
The letter indicates how greatly dis
/ turbed the President had been by the
/ squable in his official family. and his
/ purpose TO bring to an end the bicker-
/ ings between different departments and
I bureaus. Incidentally. the President took
! occasion 10 refer 10 certain alleged IN
Iterviews given out cv Ormsby McHarG,
I when Assistant Secretary Of Commerce
/ and Labor. criuCising former President
/ Roosevelt.
| Concerning McHarg, President T1st
wrote. He was an efficient officer, SIt
he talked too much and wildly, and i,ls
withdrawal relieved me"
Three ALLEGED Misstatements.
The three statements OF facts in the
defense made 70 President Taft by
Secretary Of the Interior Ballinger on
the CLAWS charges. alleged by Clifford
/ Flnchot TO he essentially false" came
( out today before the congressional in
lvesugating committee.
/ The three misstatements. PinchOt tes-
titled. we're contained IL a letter TO
| DIT. Lyman Abbott. editor Of the Out
look. from Judge J. T. Ronald. formerly
Ballinger's law partner. The letter was
written by Ronald 20 DR.. Abbott on the
/ basis OF some blueprint nOtauonS on a
copy OF the Outlook made by BallingeT
and sent TO Ronald Subsequently. Bal
/ l.nger transmitted the letter 10 the
/ President cs a part of his defense
In the Ronald letter IL IS stated ts.st
/ the report OF Special Agent Jones was
not in regard to the CVaDingham cases;
Z Cunningham cases was not revoked
after protest oy Claws. and. third that
Ballinger never appeared before a Con
greSsiOnal committee f9VOTlng leEisla-
ton which would beneht the Cunrfng-
ham coal claimants.
These are the three alleged missts e
mentS named BY pinchOL
Pinchot explained hat he charged Bal
linger with these isstatements, not
withstanding the "a e that they were
made by RonalI. because Bauinger
transmitted them 10 the President, and
made marginal notations on the letter.
which he considered equivalent TO an
assent 70 the statements.
Taft's Conversation Barred.
Presidential conversations viii be ia
bcoed in the evidence 10 be brought be-
fore the Congressional committee inves-
tigating the Balllnger-Pinchot cortrU-
versy.
After a short executive session today
II was announced that the counsel fo-
Pinchot would not press for a decision
on the question which came Up Satur-
day-whether a witness should be per-
mitted to relate the substance Of con
versatiOns with the President.
The decision relieved the committee
OF the dilemma Of ruling on the sub
ject, but there was considerable sur
prise that the Pinchot attorneys did not
take the same attitude today as on Sat-
urday, when they demanded a ruling.
Clifford Pinchot resumed the witness
stand when the Investigation was re-
sumed today He Immediately took up
the thread OF the chronological story
Of his connection with the Alaska coal
land cases. He referred to the tele-
gram Of CLAWS Of July Is. 1850. asking
the Forest Service TO use its efforts in
having the hearing Of the Cunningham
cases postponed.
PinChOt Out of Town
Mr.. Pinehot said ne was absent from
Washington when the telegram was re-
ceived, and did not return until after
the Secretary OF Agriculture had writ
ten to the Interior Department asking
for delay in the Cunningham cases.
On August 9, Mr.. Pinchot said he met
CLAWS at Spokane and that he present.
ed facts in connection with the Gun
ningham claims and expressed his fears
about the wisdom OF allowing the Cum
ningham cases to 90 to a hearing. At
Mr.. PinchOt's suggestion he said former
Governor Pardee was consulted about
advised CLAWS TO lay the case before
the President.
Why did You give the advice?" asked
Mr.. Pepper.
Because replied Pinchot, 4 wished
to avoid the great national scandal
which has since arisen"
Mr.. Pinchot said he gave CLAWS a
letter If introduction to the President,
and also sent by Claws q personal letter
TO the President calling attention 10 the
gravity Of the Cunningham claims
CLAWS. he said, askd for the assistance
Of some one in the Forestry Bureau in
Washington.
In accordance with this request" F"
said Mr. PinChot, L wired Price, my
associate. To send law officer Shaw TO
Chicago 10 assist CLAWS in preparing his
case for presentation 10 the President
Why Shaw Went to Chicago.
There has been a misunderstanding
as 10 why Shaw went to Chicago to
meet Claws Il has been said that il
was for the purpose Of preparing arti-
cles which subsequently appeared in Col
ler.s Weekly. The article in Golfers
could not have been thought Of at that
time and Shaw's visit TO Chicago had
nothing to do with IT. His sole purpose
was 10 assist CLAWS in preparing his
case FOR the President
A1r. Pinchot then read several letters
Continued on Page Twslvs.)