Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-27

With Clifford Pinchot on the witness
stand the BallingerPinchot inquiry en-
| tered its second phase yesterday. The
dismissed chief of the forest service be-
fore being sworn dramatically declared in
a statement to the committee that when
his story had been told the country would
demand verdict ''in harmony with the
general conviction that the Secretary OF
the Interior has been unfaithful both to
the public, whose property he has endan-
gered and 10 the President, whom he has
deceived"
l.. r. CLAWS, the Cunningham coal
claims and Attorney Brandeis all stood
aside to make room for Mr.. Pinchot, for
Attorney George Wharton Pepper. his
personal counsel. and the story of Secre-
tary Ballingers dealing with the water
power sites OF the public domain.
Mr.. Pinchot accused Secretary Balm
ger of having made an explanation OF his
conduct to the President that was lessen
TALLY false" He charged him with being
a dangerous enemy of conservation
He charged him with having made a
statement shown by undisputed docu-
mentary evidence ITO be absolutely false
in three essential particulars He
charged him with having willfuIly de-
ceived the President and of being dis
loyal to the President.
Replete With Sensations.
Mr.. Pinchots first hours on the witness
stand were as repIete with sensations as
had been promised, and the suffocating
crowd in the hearing room hung intently
upon every word that fell from his lips. \
trifie nervous at first, Mr.. Pinaslot soon be-
came accustomed to his surroundings and
maintained confident poise thereafter.
His recital had not progressed very far,
there objection
from Mr.. Ballinger's attorney to the
witness repeating conversations had with
President Taft. 1t was contended that
the relation of these conversations would
put the President in an attitude where he
would either have TO remain silent else
appear before the committee a wit
ness which, 1t was declared, would be
undesirable.
The question was argued for some time,
and during the course of his statements
Of the matter the attorney for Mr.. Pin
chot admitted that President Taft. In
letter written subsequent TO the converSa-
tion, had declared that his recollection OF
what transpired at the interview differed
in some particulars from that of Mr. Pin
chot. The matter was put over for con-
sideration 10y the committee in executive
session. and it is expected that a deci-
sion will be announced when the next
session is held Tuesday morning.
Mr.. Pinchot followed up the vigorous at.
tack upon Secretary Ballinger in his open
ing statement by announcing that he
fully believed i'll Special 4 gent CLAWS and
was convinced that all CLAWS had said
was true. He characterized Claws as
faithful public servant" and declared
that the facts which he presented proved
that Mr.. Ballinger had been unfaithful to
his trust as the guardian OF public prop
erty of enormous value"
Started by Ballinger.
The conservation movement begun un-
der the administration OF President Roose-
welt was progressing splendidly up to the
time that President Taft and Secretary
Ballinger came into office, declared Mr..
Pinchot. He charged that in less than
month thereafter Secretary Ballinger had
practically broken the backbone of the
central idea OF the conservation move
ment by restoring previously withdrawn
waterpower sites 10 the public domain and
laying them open to private appropriation
and monopolistic control.
Mr. Pinchot charged that when the res
torations were made Mr. Ballinger gave
no hint that he would withdraw the
power sites and that, as matter OF
fact he did not rewithdraw any OF them
until after Mr. Pinchot had gone to
the President and had made vigorous
protest.
made without any investigation of the
subject whatever. said Mr.. Pinchot, and
he charged the Secretary with having de-
liberatey ordered the officers OF the
reclamation service, against their will. to
recommend that some of the reStorationS
should be made. Mr.. Pinchot declared
that Director Newell of the reclamation
service would be called as one of his wit
nesses to prove his charges against Sec
retary Ballinger. The former Secretary
of the Interior, James r. Garfield, il was
announced. would also be one of Mr..
Pinchot'S hackers.
Takes Issue With President.
One of the most dramatic incidents OF
the day was left for the last half hour or
the session when Mr.. Pinchot declared
that there was no such decision by the
controller of the Treasury as had been
cited by President Taft in his letter of
September 13 1902 TO Secretary Balling-
er dismissing the CLAWS charges and au-
thorizing the removal OF CLAWS from the