The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-28
'P|NCHOT TELLS OF.
/. BATTLE To SAVE
RESOURCES
Deposed Forester Describes His Cor
respondence With President in
Which de Said Real Facts Must
Become Public.
Grows Bitter on Stand as He De.
nounces Secretary Ballinger as
Unfaithful Public Official.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 25-Gifrord
Pinchot went on the witness stand
before the congressional investigating
committee today
A great crowd OF spectators listen.
ed breathlessly whiie the ex-chiet OF
the forestry bureau boldly accused
Secretary of the Interior Baiunger
not only OF oyerturning the conserva.
ton policies of the last administra-
ton but OF making false statements
to President Taft.
Il desire TO lay before the commit
tee began Pinchot, "a consecutive
story OF my experience with Mr.. Bal
linger in relation TO the conservation
OF natural resources. Among several
other matters there are three o!
principal Importance 10 be called to
your attention.
The first of these concerns the
policy devised and inaugurated BY
the last administration OF protecting
against monopolistic control the
water power sites owned by the peo-
pie.
II shall show you that Secretary
Baliinger entered his office with the
clear determination 10 make snort
work of that policy that he reversed
IL as far as he was allowed TO DO So
that he restored the power sites 10
entry without the remotest idea OF re-
Withdrawing them and that inally'
when | charged him last autumn III
letter to the president with oelhg
an enemy OF the policy OF conserNa'
ton, be capped the climax by giving
10 the president himself an expiaha'
tjon OF his conduct that was essenllaF
~ false.
Says CLAWS Is Faithful
"The second has 10 do with my con
nection a a government officer with
the Cunningham coat cases, ana Win
The CLAWS charges. | shall snow you
how the forest service became lnNoiN-
ed in these cases, and how Claws SUD
mitted facts TO me. | believed theh'
as | believe now, that ne toid the
truth. | am convinced now as | was
when he come TO me, that GlaFis Is
faithful iblic servant ana thaI .ne
facts which he presented prove thal
Mr. Ballinger has been unlalthIul 10
his trust as a servant OF the peopie'
and as the guardian OF public proper
Nv OF enormous value.
81 shall show that since | learned
The facts you have heard from GiaFls
and others which ! am about 10 laS
before YOU. have acted steadily IN the
light OF them. as WAS my duty, Ooth "a
a pubIic officer and as a citlzen.
shall show you that in pursuance %
that duty. | laid before the presldent
both by word OF mouth and IN let'eI
of Nov. 4 a statement or my conVlc-
ton that Secretary Ballinger has been
n dangerous enemy 10 conservation
II shall show you that this letter was
submitted by the president 10 Mr.. bal
finger and as part OF his reply, he lald
before the president a statement con
corning the Cunningham coal cases,
which statement is shown by und!s-
puted documentary evidence 10 be alb
golutely false I'm three essential pa
ticulars II will then appear that Mr..
Ballinger wiltully deceived the presi-
dent and was disloyal 10 him.
CLAWS Case Only Single Chapter.
"The third principal matter is con
cerned with the attitude o; this gov
eminent in law and administrative
practice toward the conservation ~
the natural resources belonging 10 the
story OF CLAWS courageous and sue
cessful fight TO protect the property
of the people. which ended IN his dis
missal without a hearing. is but =
single chapter in the history OF the
public lands.
when this story has been told. and
the Witnesses whom shall ask YOU
TO call have been heard. YOU Will real
lie that the interests OF the people
are not safe in Mr. Ballinger's hands.
and that the country will demand OF
this committee a verdict in harmony
with the general conviction that the
secretary Of the interior has been IN.
faithful both 10 the public. whose
property he has endangered and 70
the president. whom he has deceived.
The letter of Nov. 10 PTesidcu.
Taft referred to ~ Pinchot. reviews
the entire conversat ton in question
Pinchot said ia the letter ne had Al.
vised CLAWS to lay the Alaskan Goa,
lands matter before the president. II
was bis duty 10 DO so because there
was involved a question 81 public pol.
leg that could be handled only 10y the
president.
when saw you in Salt Lake Gig
In SEPTEMBER" P.nthot said In his le
. ter, little mention was made az tae
CLAWS matter. but we discussed the
recent relations OF the interior depar-.
lnent to conservation at some length
expressed the belief that you had
been mislnformcd as TO certain or
these relations End my fear that later
on. when the present intense public
attention 1ad suUsided. unwise tendeH-
cies might reappear. AMI the public
interest might suffer. said also that
xhile | should not resign, my course
Otherwise was still undetermined ant
I might nnG IL necessary 10 make pub.
&c my opinion as 20 these relations
oven Il * shouic involve my official
POSITION.
The above parsGraph Is especially
interesting. m view OF the fact ttar
Later Pinchot sert his now famous !e:s
Eltr to Senator Deliver In which he
attacked Secretary Ballinger. and
which precipitated his dismissal a;
tie hands OF President Taft
Meyer Urges Bigger Navy.