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Show H ; ' BALLINQER FORCED OUT. H I, ij i LaFollette's, in its last issue, commenting editorially on the M n resignation of Secretary Ballinger, says: H i ; "Ballinger has resimed. Confronted with tho pos- H ' J sibility of impeachment "proceedings in the extra session, 1 i the Secretary of the Interior makes a precipitate exit H li ' from public life. With preparations under way for the 1 I ; most thorough and effective exposure of his department he H ' has yet had to meet, the official who has repeatedly de- j j i . - . clared he would never retire under fire, now beats his H ' j ji J" With him goes his faithful subordinate, Oscar W. H ' ' li Lawler. H I "Several times during the Ballmger-Pinchot lnves- H ' j I tigation was the administration thrown into a panic when H ' startling evidence of misconduct was dragged out of the H f I, murky secrecy of the Interior Department by the untiring M 1 1 and resourceful Brandeis. But it is doubtful if anything H j that has yet transpired reveals so clearly the fear of the H I ' . . administration of an investigation that will succeed in H ' ' I ' throwing open to the light of day all the transactions of H that department. H ; "The resignation of BaUinger is the last desperate at- H lil ', tempt of the administration to close the pages of history H i j i , to the official actions of BaUinger. The appointment of H I Walter L. Fisher to succeed Ballinger is prompted by a H j t desire to secure a secretary whom the public trust, to moke H still more certain- that an investigation will not be or- H dered, to win back, if possible, the confidence of the peo- H pie in the administration. H j "But no resignation, no presidential assurance, will ' H remove the public necessity for a searching and thorough- H I going investigation. It is imperative that congress and the H . .' public have full knowledge of the activities of Ballinger's H, ' f department with regard to the Alaskan claims and other Hr i official matters wherein BaUinger was charged with ad- H ministering his department to promote private interests H Public welfare demands that this be done. H H Coming from one of the foremost United States senators, a H man honored above all other men in his own state, the foregoing is H t a criticism and accusation not to be lightly passed over. LaFol- H lette must be certain of his ground to make a statement so con- H demnatory. |