The San Francisco call., 1910-05-01
BALLINGER TO
GET WHITEWASH
IS PREDICTION
Regulars on Committee Show
Hands in Refusal to Un=
.%
cover Wickersham
Insurgents and Democrats in
House May "Smoke Out"
Attorney General
[Speeiol Dispdish 10 The Cali

WASHINGTON, April SO.-The pre-
dicuon was freely made that the Bal
linger- -Pincbot hearing will result in a
whitewash. Of Ballinger by a vote of
: to s.. This opinion is based on the
votes taken. today on the request of
Attorney "Brandeis for the documents
which he claims win prove that Attor-
ney General :Wtckersham antedated his
review. of the CLAWS charges. This re
quest IS. in some ways, a showdown of
the whole case and the committees
votes are a pretty clear indication Of
its attitude, on. the whole case.
The committee has shut off the Pin
chot- forces. from. any: further attempt
"a. prove that there was an understand
ing in the administrations to discredit
Claws. tits. hfnted. however. THAI an
other way will be: found of Smoking
out" Attorney General Wickersham.
II IS suggested that a resolutions may
be. offered, in the house of representa-
tives which, If supported by the insur-
gents and. democrats, could be forced
through. compelling Attorney General
Wic3zers ham To furnish the information
desired: = Representative Madison. re
publica1l who voted with the four
oemecFats on the committee, is an in
surgeilt and his attitude is. said to re-
flect= the feeling Of Insurgents geher-
CoNTRADICTS NEWELL
Secretary. .Balitnger continued to.con-
Jradict and: deny statements and ac-
cusatlons against him from the viii
ness stand in the -BaIlinger-P -Pinchot in
Nestl cation today. He was still under
rect eAa rnina.tfon when the commit
lee adjourned until next Thursday.
Passing. fronl-the subject of Alaskan
Il Tl.,TT
justification of his attitude toward: the
reclamation. service. His most inpor-
lant- denial was of the charge made by
Director. F. H. Newell and Chief En-
gineer A<~P.- Davis Of the. service that
ne nisrepresehted TO the president that
the reclamation service had recon-
mended the. restoration Of the water
power sites withdrawn by Secretary
Garfield.
The reclamation. service officials
swore' 'Ba1linger ordered them 10 recon-
mend these ! rest0rations. BaIIinger
sWore Just as positively that he made
no such order. although he felt. the
lands had been illegally withdrawn
and should be restored to entry and
had so stated to the reclamation on
Gals Ballfnger made no secret of the
fact that he would like to see Newell
superseded as head. Of the reclamation
bureau. -.
asked by his lawyer why he did not
make change" in the reclamation
service, Balinger. tetorted sharply:
Because my hands have, been up for
months and l have not been able to
get them down"
WICFxERSHAM PROTECTED
Two hours OF today's session were
consumed by the committee over. the
question Of granting Attorney Brand
els request for. papers. and documents
bearing on the summary Of the CLAWS
charges. prepared for the president by
the attorney general The committee
again denied the request, though MAX
ing one small concession. : -
Nertrees charged there was a con-
sPiracX afoQt- against advisers of a
resident who happened to be distaste-
tni to- the conspirators.' He intimated
mat. former Secretary Garfield. and
fo7-meT. Forester Pfnchot were the chief
spiratO tors. 81
'Or- the first time Brandefs openly
~tar Ted his belief that the attorney gen
eral had antedated his summary with
.e. idea Of making that appear proper
Whtch-.was not proper when done" He
had reference. to the dismissal of his
client, /. r. CLAWS. by the president on
september l3 last. and was intimating
that the attorney general, months after
that date, had drawn up the summary
in an effort TO Justify an error of the
president and in order to make the
deception complete. had dated ii two
days before the presidents action was
taken.