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

The Ballingsr.Plnchot Investigations
Washington, Jan. 26.--Ths admin
i.tra tlon's probe Into the Balllcge'-
Pinchot controversy Is on.
With the meeting today OF tbs joint
Senate and House committee 10 iupesti.
gate ths conservation squsbb!e aud Its
outgrosth of charges aud counter.
| charges, begins what is conceded here to
be the biggest oVerhauling and airing OF
the affairs of two government brapcRes
since the famous postoffice probe o.!
gears ago.
Teo policies are on trial hs 'Let
Ter of the law and tho esprit of the
Statutes" With Secretary Bslltngsr,
| aligned up with the former and backed
% by the admlnlstration's strepgth, and
Clifford Pinchot, former chief forester,
| and his associates, the champions OF the
latter, with the wrath of the Roosevelt
pslIciea az their Invisible aid.
Twelve men---six senators and biz
repres sntstlves--constltute the tribunal
before which will be enacted this in
ye.tigstion task which 1t lie conceded
here will probably occupy the inVes;i-
gators until late In the fall.
Before these men every belligerent
| and party to the controversy must ap.
pear and explain his every action. The
committee expects to start with tas Six
principal fgares--Secretary Ballinger,
Former Chief Forester Clifford Pinchot,
ex.AssocIa.e Forester OVerton W. Price,
and A, W. Shaw, late assistant law Ola.
Ger of the io-sst service--sll the last
three being discharged from Office by
presidential order on January land l.
r. CLAWS, who likewise lost bis head on
the Official chopplDg block on September
lis.
Scores of others will be examined, and
the committee, or at least portion OF
1t, 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 thelr
stats In the hearing room of the s:nate
Office building this afternoon, crowd
had filed every inch of space and over
flowed out into lhe hall. At 2.30 they
6led 10 and took their places.
Before the bar sat l.. R. CLAWS, With
his legal advisors l. D. Brsndeis, OF
B ,ston, and Joseph 3. Coltop, of Nav
York. The counsel for Piuchof, Pfics
and shaw-Attornsy Gscrge W. Pepper,
of PhilsdelphIs--was also present.
The charges against Ballinger are:
| OverlurDipg OF the Roosevelt conssrVa-
tlon policies, restoring water power sites
to entry to favor the "Rster power
trust;" afi:Iallon with Morgan. Gnggen'
helm combine and misuse of Office to
permit their grabbing cool lands 10
Alaska; suppression OF facts 10 connsc
ton With coal land claims in Alaska
acting as attorney for Olsreuce Cunning
ham, whcse sllsged fraudulent claims
for ALASKA coal lands is now before the
department, for seton; favoring the Gin.
terest" IS agains. the peoplsY
The charges against Pinchot are
Running the forest service to furthe'
personal ends; pernicious activity IN
| Waging campaign Vi Sihsuca'ioo
against the Interior Department; ex'
ceediug the letter OF the Law in his con.
duct oil the forest service; violation Of
presidential orders to all bureau Chief:
not TO give out information; trying Il
run the Interior Department, accord
log to BallipgeS; Is vicl0Gs daragofgut
who sounds a fa.se alarm which srouses
prfiudIces that strike at the foundations
Of government" according to B,ll'nger.
L. r. CLAWS was the first witness in
the investigation, All members OF the
committee we're present at rollcsll OK
cept Senators Flint aud Psynter.
Turnbull Nominated,
| Especial dispsteh to the Alexandria GaEetts.]
Richmond, Va, Jan. 26.-Iniorms,
ton from Petersburg this afternoon il
that Robert Turubull Is nominated fol
Congress to succeed the late Represent
i've Francis r. Lassiter. This Is g
surprise, IS Chas T. Lsssiter Was thought
( to have Won.
The Liudner Snos for Ladies' nne
wear has 10 equal. JOHN A, Marshall
& Bio,, 49a kDg street,