Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-22
TO HASTEN INQUIRY
Efforts to Hurry BaIlinger-
Pinchot Investigation.
DESIRE OF ADMINISTRATION
Chairman Nelson Favors Sessions
Three Days Each Week.
WANT TO CLOSE BY MAY 81
Cross-Examination Of Mr.. Finney
Witness Does Not
Assume Responsibility.
WANT TO CLOSE BY MAY Fl

Assume Responsibility.
An effort will be made by the admins
tration to bring the Ballinger- Pinchot in.
vestigation speedily to a close. In this
move the indication is that the friends
Of the Secretary Of the Interior will meet
with the ready acquiesence of all mem.
bers of the congressional committee with
out regard to their views on the question
of whether or not the charges against
MIR. Ballinger have been sustained.
Secretary of State Knox visited the Cap.
itol yesterday and conferred with severa
members of the committee. He had nc
definite plan to present, but merely urged
that the inquiry be materially expedited
He is said to have spoken for President
Taft, and the inference was drawn that
the manner in which the hearing was
dragging had been the subject of cabinet
discussion.
! When Chairman Nelson arrived at the
Capitol today he said he would try to in
| duce the members of the committee to
] give an additional day each week to the
hearings. Under the present order the
| committee sits Fridays and Saturdays
A brief executive session was held prior
| to the taking of testimony, but the at
tendance was too small to bring up the
| subject of extending the time that is to
be given. to the proceedings.
Many Witnesses for Defense"
| 1t has been the understanding that the
| ''defense," as the Ballinger side Of the
controversy has been commonly termed.
would put on the stand a dozen or more
witnesses in addition to Secretary Bal
i limo l,o
! examined at the length that has charac-
terzed the examination hitherto it Is ad-
mitted the inquiry would drag not only
beyond the probable period Of the present
| session Of Congress, but well into the
summer. Senator Root Is to sail for Eu-
rope May q, and his colleagues are ex-
ceedingly anxious that the inquiry be
closed, 50 that he may give his assistance
| in the framing Of a report.
| 1t is therefore apparent that additional
| time must be given by the committee to
| the taking Of testimony. While the COM
| mittee has no intention of making any
rules which would in any manner curtail
the bringing out Of facts, the attorneys
on both sides will be asked to assist in
conserving the time.
Asked About Letters.
At the hearing today Attorney Pepper,
counsel for Clifford Pinchot, proceeded
ney. assistant to the Secretary Of the In
terror. Mr.. Pepper questioned the wit
ness regarding certain letters Of the Secre-
tary. in which the prosecution" charged
misstatements in connection with the res
tOration of water power sites. Mr.. FIN
ney had testified that he had prepared the
letters by order OF the Secretary, who
| signed them, but that he did not know
| whether Mr.. Ballinger had actually read
them.
els it not true that you are here trying
to assume the responsibility for Secretary
Ballinger?" asked Mr.. Pepper.
mo. it Is not true" sharply replied the
| witness. II am here to tell the facts. ]
| don't assume any responsibility, although
| some of the newspapers seem to take II
| that way
Measures Before Congress.
| Attorney Pepper questioned Mr.. Fnney
at great length regarding conservation
measures pending before Congress with
the avowed purpose Of bringing out his
connection with the bills introduced at his
request. This line of examination led to a
discussion among members of the COM
mittee regarding the provisions of the
various bills.
II vii, have all the bills printed" in.
more ink, but will save time here
| Attorney sBranOelS, counSel TOT II. II.
| CLAWS and others then resumed cross
examination of the witness. which he
began last Saturday. Mr.. Finney had
promised the attorney to examine tn At
| torny Generals summary Of the CLAWS
charges in an effort to locate evidence
which would justify the Attorney Gen
erals statement that mo steps had been
taken by CLAWS. to prosecute Alaskan
claimants before the statute of limitations
had expired Today Mr.. Brandeis asked
| = h. tn inf ont ;v,o IN H.
record which he thought justified the
statement.
| Reference to Cartoon.
| Before the witness could reply, Repre-
sentative Olmsted. one of the republican
members objected to the attorneys con-
Stunning so much time in an examination
which he believed could not possibly as
sist the committee in arriving at a deci-
| sion
| He referred to a cartoon in The Even
| ing Star In which members of the COM
| mittee were represented as old and long
! whiskered men entering the hearing cham
| Der in 1850 He said it represented the
popular impression that the Investigation
was dragging and the attorneys were
making it so by asking witnesses their
/ opinion of the meaning of matter in the
record which it was the duty Of the men,
| bers of the committee to ascertain for
themselves.
| Mr.. BraN1eis strongly dissented from the
view, and said that as general utility
| man and confidential clerk" of Secretary
| Ballinger, Mr.. Finney's opinion was of
| Importance. He was sustained by both
| Representatives Graham and James and
| after again voicing his objection to what
he regarded as dilAtory tactics Mr. Ohm
| sted agreed that Mr.. Brandeis should re-
| sumo his questioning
II move that the cartoon referred to by
Mr.. Olmsted be printed in the record" in
| terjected Mr. Graham, amid laughter.
| SOUTHERN RAISES WAGES