Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-02-16
OIL CLAIM Relief
SOON IS UNLIKELY;
WILSON 'sTUMpED'
lntricacies of California Con-
troversy BeWiIder President,
Who Proposed Compromise
BY c. s. ALBERT

w ~. A.s JAN
President Wilson is bewildered by the
magnitude and intricacies of the Cali
fornia oil lands controversy. He was
urged TO undertake a settlement OF
the dispute by prominent senators and
others interested. He promised all
possible assistance. II was believed
that he could arrange some kind OF
compromise.
II is now officially admitted that
the president is entirely at sea in the
oil fight. He is extremely anxious for
the discovery Of solution, but none
appears In sight. No progress has
been made in unraveling the tangle.
Congress Cannot Act
With the president thus stumped Ii
seems unlikely that any remedial legis-
lation can be passed at this session
of Congress. Time is pressing and
the usual jam OF important business
is at hand. II is almost self-evident
that part of the administration legis.
latfye program must go by the board.
II such proves TO be the case the
California land troubles doubtless will
go down In the general smash.
IL the land leasing bill now should
come up on the floor of the senate
after the president was invited to act
as arbiter, there will be long and
bitter debate. II is suggested that
this might prove embarrassing to the
administration.
The president has called for maps
Of the lands and for names Of the
locaters affected, and viii confer with
Secretary Daniels and Attorney Gem
eral Gregory and hear the navy side
OF the confrofefsy and then fhear
what Secretary Lane has to saE for
the interior department, which has
contended that the equities" Of the
lessees should not be .disregarded or
their property cOufiscated even under
the guise OF -consefvatioh" Of the oil
supply Cor the navy.
conflictin1 Intorests Halt Senators
There are number Of senators de-
sirous Of doing what they feel is
right In the matter, but the senators
are hating between the advice Of the
secretary or the navy, which sug.
gests recognition OF the needs of
the navy for fuel oil as an important
Part OF the preparedness program and
the disregard Of present interests,
sticking to get oil concessions to which
they are not entitled either by law
or equity, and the advice Of the secre.
tary OF the interior that entrymen In
good faith have done development
work in the navy reserves and should
be permitted to enjoy their leases.
Already some OF the Western sena.
tors interested in the recognition OF
the private interests have charged
Secretary Daniels with disregard of
statutes and with having muckraked
the interior department
Charges that an active lobby main
tanned by oil Interests has been at
work in the capitol corridors for sew
eral weeks in the interests of the pri-
vate entrymen Is also being banded
with threats that the senate lobby
committee may be invited to get busy.
Lane States Situation 4
In a letter to Senator Phelan, pub
lished in the Congressional Record
January II, Secretary Lane says:
There are now withdrawn from
pnhlic entry n fotal of 6570 232 acres
of oil lands These Withdrawals have
been made upon the advice of the geo.
logical survey. OF this great body of
land there are reserved for naval pur.
poses, Naval Reserve No. 1, 3S,06S
acres in California; Naval Reserve No.
2. 30.1S1 acres In California; Naval
Reserve No. 5. 94S1 acres in Wyom-
ing; total OF 77,730 acres. exclusive
~ fur, tNrtffl, "A 20 ,-o 1e rooonflv rnado of