Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-01-26
The BaIllngsr.Pluchot Investigation

Washington, Jan. 26.-The admin
Istr6tIon's probe into the Ballloge'-
Pinchot controversy Ia on.
With the meeting today OF tbs Joint
Senate and House committee TO iuvesti-
cate the conservation Equabble aud Its
outgroTth of charges and counter
charges, begins what Is conceded here to
be the biggest oVerhsuling and airing Of
the affairs OF two government braoene'
since the famous postoffico probe Of
years ago.
Tao policies are on trial hs "Les
er of the law" and tho Esprit OF the
Statutes" With Secretary Billingsr,
aligned up with the former and backed
up by the admInIstration's strength, and
Clifford Pinchot, former chief forester,
and his associates, the champions OF the
latter, with the wrath Of the Roosevelt
pslIcIes 90 their Invisible aid.
Twelve men--.Ix senators and sir
repres sntalives--constltut the tribunal
before which will be enacted this 10.
ye,tIQstiop task which 1t lie conceded
here will probably occupy the inVesA-
gators until late In the fall.
Before these men every belligerent
and party to the controversy must APP
pear and explain his every scIion. The
committee expects to start with the six
principal 6gures-Secretsry Ballinger,
Former Chief Forester Clifford Pinchoi,
ex.AssocIa.e Forester Overton W. Price,
and A, w. Shaw, late assistant law Oh
Ger of the iorest service--all the last
three being discharged from Office by
presidential order on January 7--and l.
r. CLAWS, who likewise lost bis head on
the Official ohoppiug block on September
Is. .,
Scores Of Others will be examined, and
the committee, or st least q portion OF
It, will probably make trip through the
west and to Alaska during the summer,
to secure facts on the grOucd. Before
the twelve Investigators were In their
sFsts Ia the hearing room OF the s'nate
Office building this afternoon, crowd
had filled every inch Of space and over
flowed out into lhe hall. At 2.SO they
fled Iu and took their places.
Bsfore the bar sat l.. r. CLAWS, with
his legal advisors l. d. Brsndeis, OF
B 1ston, and Joseph B. Cotop, OF Nav
York. The counsel for Piuchoi, Price
and shsw-Attorney George W. Pepper,
of PhiladelphIa-was also present.
The charges sgsiust Ballinger are;
| OverlurDipg OF the Roosevelt conserVa-
ton policies, restoring water power sites
TO entry to favor the "Wstes power
trust" sfiIalIon With Morgan Gnggeu'
helm combine and misuse Of office to
permit their grabbing coal lands 10
| Alssks; suppression Of facts In connsc
ton with coal land claims 10 Alaska
acting ss attorney for Clarence Canning
ham, whose slItged fraudulent clalm'
for ALASKA coal lands is nov before the
department for sctiou; iavorlng the "ln'
terest" IS against the people
The charges against Pincbot are
Running the forest service to furihet
personal ends; perniclous activity 10
wsping 8 campaign OF viIlihcatlon
against the Interior Department; ex'
ceeding the letter OF the Law In his con-
duet OF the forest service; violation o.
presidential orders to all bureau chief;
not 10 give out iufOrmstioni trying u
run the Interior Department." accord
log to BalliOgeI; Is vicioos dsusgorgut
who sounds false alarm which srouse'
prtiudIces that strike at the foundations
Of government" according to B'llinger'
L. r. CLAWS wss the fret witntss In
| the investigation. All members OF the
committee we're present st rollcsll OK
cept Senators Flint aud PsynteF.
| T...-L,.fl NorsioaNad