Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-04-14
Lease West Side to Gov
ernment for Fuel Sup
ply, Lanes Plan.
OWEN OPPOSES MOVE
Asserts Can Save Money
by Buying From Sim
clair in Mexico.
Ry OMER Is. RENEDICT.
(World Staff CorrespCndeut


WASHINGTON, April 13. - For
more than two and n half years Sec
retary Lane has been entertaining q
proposition of placing the west side or
the Usage nation in an oil reserve for
the United States navy. according 70
a statement made by him today 1t a
conference with the oklahoma con.
sressional delegation, headed by SEN
ator owen.
The delegation called on the secre-
tary to protest against the extension
OF the Period from 1881 to 1896, and
to urge that the Unleased portion be
Immediately leased for oil.
Daniels Won't Decide.
More than :wo AID a hall years
ago SAID Secretary Lane, Secretary
Daniels Of the navy and | agreed that
the Usage nation should I've set aside as
an Atlantic reserve ior the navy, and
| suggested to HIM too open and have
since many times said that he should
take steps for The consimmaticn o.
this proposition, but so far | haze
been unable to get ary dcfirite or sat
isfactory answer from him"
Senator Owen, acting as spokesman
for the delegation, stated to the Sec
re,ary that the oil Of TIE Usage ma
tion was of too high =. gravity to be
used as n fuel oil for me navy. and
further called his attention to the fact
that the British navy, so Re was re
liably informed, was purchasing crudt
oil for fuel from the TGmpiCo fields
for II cents and that the chelpes.
contract with the United States navy
was for 90 cents.
Owen RaDs Navy.
There is something radically wrong
and apparently weak In the purcnds-
ing department of the navy" sad
Senator owen, aid | am quite sure
that Harry Sinclair of Tulsa would
lie very glad to furnish the United
States navy ample oil for very nomi-
mai price from his TaIrpico produC-
ton"
Secretary Lane stated that from data
he had available, he was Of the
opinion that crude oil was bound to
increase in value, and that within ten
years it will be selling at $3.50 and
SO instead of around sl.50 and Sl.70.
II cannot agree with you" said the
senator. There is pending in your
department at this time patents that
will positively take the place of gaso-
line, and If you read the confidential
correspondence of Mr.. Ewing on the
subject. you will be convinced that oil
does not hold out such n rosy prospect
and that the Usage lands should be
developed now, while oil is at the high
price of $l.70."
Anxious TO Develop.
The oklahoma delegation stated
that they were unanimous in their
desire to have the Usage developed at
this time; and stated that the people
of the state were entitled to have
their property developed and that the
mixed blood and full-blood Indians of
the Usage nation desired it. The en-
tire delegation expressed surprise
when Secretary Lane stated that sew,
eral full -bloods had called on him
asking him not to lease the land, and
Congressman Hastings and Chandler
stated that they had taken the testi-
mony of thirty full-bloods at Paw
huska and that without single eXcep-
ton they all wanted the land leased.
They had never heard of full-blood
objection before.
Secretary Lane stated that his first
duty was to the Indian who was his
ward, and that he would not open all
the land ell masse, but that, in case
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