Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-01-07
Chief Forester Boldly DefieS
Rule | aid Down by Taft Pro-
hibiting SubofdinateS Giving
Information to Congress,
LETTER PRAISES CLAWS
CRITICIZES BALLINGER
Taft Mistaken in the Facts
When He Removed CLAWS is
Declared Cabinet Hurriedly
Summoned,

Washington, Jan. 6.-The Ballinger-
Finchot controversy was today made
doubly intense by the reading in the
senate cf q letter addressed by Mr.
Pinchot to Senator Dolliver in which
the course adopted by Mr.. l.. r. CLAY
is with the assistance of Messrs
Price and Shaw of the bureau Of for
estry was warmly approved.
In this communication the chief
forester not only upheld the criti-
cisms of Secretary Ballinger but sue-
gested that the president himself had
been mistaken in the facts when he
removed Mr.. CLAWS from the service.
Mr.. Pmchots letter called Senator
Hale to his feet with a severe rebuke
to TIE chief forester for having ig-
nored a recent order by the president
directing that no subordinate officer
should give information concerning
affairs Cf the government except to
his superior officers. He also sug
gested that the adoption of this
course tended to forestall and preiu-
dice nubiic opinion in relation 10 the
Ballinger- Pinchot controversy.
Preceding this incident Senator
Jones joint resolution for an in
Vestigation OF the interior department
and the ecrestry bureau was referred
tn the committee on public lands but
the reference was not made until af-
ter considers BILE discussion of reso-
luton by SeE.iitr NeWlanus instruct
ing the committee on public lands TO
report within two weeks bills putting
init effect Secretary Bailingcr's rec
concentrations in his annual report
Tor the conservation Of natural re-
sources. The Newlands resolution al
50 was referred to the committee on
public lands.
In the senate Mr. Pinehots letter
caused a genuine sensation.
In addressing his letter to Senator
DolliVcr, MIR. pinchot, indicated that
ii had been written at the request Of
the Iowa senator, but it was address
cd to him as chairman Of the com
lnittee on agriculture thus making 1t
an official document.
He said Messrs. Price and Shaw had
prepared an official report upon their
actions which he was transmitting TO
the secretary of agriculture
This report shows that Messrs
Price and Shaw made public certain
information regarding the so-callcd
Cunningham claims for coal lands IN
Alaska" said Mr. Pinchot. "fhe Of
feet Of the publication was to direct
critical public attention to the action
of the interior department
1T shows that they countcnanced
the publication by l.. r. CLAWS OF GER
tain facts concerning those claims af-
ter he had been dismissed from office,
and that in other ways they endcaN-
orcd to direct public attention to the
imminent danger that the Alaska
coal fields still in government owner
ship might pass forever into private
hands with little or no compensation
to the public
This information Mr. pinchot adds
was Of a nature proper to be made
public, "unless there are secrets which
the people of the United states are
not entitled to know concerning the
source. nature and progress of the
claims made for portions of the public
lands"
"The rumor." he said, that the
CLAWS report to the president was pre-
pared in or by the forestry service i
incorrect. At CLAWS request l sent
Shaw, as it was proper ! should, To
Chicago to assist him in arranging his
material for submission to the pres
idcntn
After saving that these officials had
acted on information they had con
cernine the danger Of the loss of the
Alaska coal lands Mr. Pinchot con~
tInued.
action through the usual official
channels and finally even an apepal to
Of what / believe to have been a mis-
taken impression of the facts), in ell
fminatng from the government ser
vice. in the person OF CLAWS, the most
vigorous defender of the peoples IN
tcrest. Furthermore, the refusal OF
the secretary OF the interior to assume
responsibility in the case had left
their conduct wholly in the hands OF
subordinates, each of whom was ap-
parently committed in favor or pat
enting these claims.
Price and Shaw, he said, deliber-
atelv chose to risk their official po~
sitions rather than permit what they
believed to be the wrongful loss OF
public property. Having violated a
rule of propriety as between the le-
partments. Mr.. Pinchot, said they de-
served a reprimand and had received
one
but 1 shall recommend he SAID,
without hesitation, that no fufihef
action in their case is required"
Mr. Pinchot said the action OF these
subordinates was most unusual, but
suggested that the situation that cali
ed Il forth was quite as unusual
Price and Shaw" he said, sue
cessfully directed public attention %
national danger. They increased
the peoples interest in the people
property and powerfully fostereo the
desire TO conserve it. There IS now
far less chance that the Alaska coal
fields viii pass into the hands ol