The Washington herald., 1920-11-20
0ILMAGNATE
ASSAILS NAVY
rnessChareeAnswered
I By Daniels, Who Says
He Curbed Profits.
MEXICO TO BE HEARD
Hsqueira to Answer Ke[
/: Pgg's Statement, at Meet
i, ing This Afternoon.
MEXICO TO BE HEARD
The conflict between the govern

THE conflict between the govern
nfent. as represented By the Navy
Impairment. and the oil producers
Dse American Petroleum Institute
yhen Thomas A O,Donneli, presi-
dsnt Of the institute. charged that
Jesephus Daniels. Secretary Of the
Navy, had not been fair with pc
tloleum producers Of the West
Cbxst- Daniels later paid his re-
sheets to the producers and said he
hfd done nothing but curb the prof
ieers.
tRoberto v. Pesqueira. representa-
tive Of the Mexican government,
asked that he be permitted to reply
- statements made wednesday
ntght by Frederic r. Kellogg, gen.
eral counsel of the Mexican Pc
troleum Company. In regard to
American oil interests in Mexico.
president O'Donnell invited Pes
qeneira to present Mexico's side Of
the petroleum question before the
Institute at the Raleigh Hotel bali
rsom at $3.50 o'clock this afternoon
The view of the American govern
Rent concerning the Mexican oil
problem win be presented by Nor
nan H Davis. Undersecretary Of
State.
Deplsres Vast Reduetien-
In his attack on Secretary DAN
iels. O'Donnell said that the reduc-
ton IN stocks so far this year has
been nearly eight million barrels
with this dangerous condition con-
fronting the people Of the Pacific
% Aa
had to contend with q most deplor-
able situation, the withdrawal of
public lands where active drilling
was In progress and many millions
Sf dollars already invested, which
brought about years of expensive
ntigation-
/ "A naval reserve was erected on
these lands two years after the de-
,ytlopment had started and unjust
peblie opinion created by constant
pnblicity, promoting a general be-
Hef that the plutocratic oil producer
lof the West was trying to steal
something from our Navy. The pro-
dneers on the Pacific Coast feel
that the Navy Department has not
hfen fair with the producers Of the
West
1--WE believe this to be due to the
lextreme prejudice of the head of
the department While an armistice
has been signed by the Germans, no
armistiee has been offered to the
oil producers by the Navy Depart
ment.
AEitsfiea Hurts Development.
, a friendly cooperative spirit by
our Navy Department and other
officials would have
been helpful and in the interest OF
all of the people Nothing Is so
destructive of development as such
agitation. 1t taxes the vitality as
well as the resources of the men
who should be devoting all their
talent and energy along productive
-lines rather than combating at
tacks"
) Secretary Daniels replied that he
had succeeded in putting q stop to
the efforts of the oil producers to
'pTofteer.
Mr.. ODonnell's tribute to the
navy Is very fine" he said. I'VE
have carried on no aggression and
have no prey. Oil must not be ex-
sploited by profteers and we sub
stantially won our fight The policy
'of this department has not been
against the oil men. In the main
we have had good cooperation. We
Ihave paid good prices but have not
submitted to prohteerIng on the
part Of the oil men or any others"
Admiral W. S. Benson, chairman
of the United States Shipping Board.
. In q speech before the institute. de-
clared that the American merchant
; marine Is now confronted with the
most unrelenting and sitting COM
petition from all nations trained in
the hne points of ship operation" +"
The stupendous operations of the
!. shipping Board. he said. are exem-
! plihed by the fact that its vessels
viii require 4o.ooe.ooo barrels OF