, 1922-05-30
HARDING BACKS
UP CONTRACT

CONTINUED from Page One)
Harry Sinclair, head OF the ieas1ns
interests which are subsidiary o,
Standard OIL. had been a White House
diner. n that tho Harding protest
against an oil tariff went to
by letter Immediately following Sin,
ciair's visit to tho White E3use.
With direct reference TO the Oh
leases the president is quoted al say,
ing that he is confident they will stand
the closest scrutiny. Tina he has In
vestigated them and had called for ali
papers and information In departments
connected with them when the original
charges were preferred is known
His belief is said to be tina the gov.
eminent is amply protected. that the
leases are favorable TO II and win re.
suit in saving of oil pools now being
drained from adjacent holdings. while
at the same time the eases will bring
funds TO repienish an exhausted
treasury.
What the senate investigation viii
disclose cannot be forecast. though
that body like the public is divided
on the FAN policy, which is for cz-
ploitation farther than conservation Of
public holdings. but II there is n vote
Of criticism that censure viii go to the
president who has now allied himself
with Fall. 1t will include Secretary
DENLY. likewise. who is understood to
approve the Fail policy as best serving
the interest OF the navy for oil sup
ply. and whose name Is in approvaS
of the Fall leases.
Senator Smooth of Utah b chairman
of the committee which will mako in
vestigation. Smoot is conservative
one of the few remaining of the -oid
guard" but he has always been an
~outspoken foe of waste and extrava-
gance. watchful OF the public interest.
While a committee of administration
partisans might be expected to in
dulge in "whitewash' action, Shoots
craftsmanship gives assurance thai
such action will not go unchalienged.
In presentation Of his charges. Sem
ator LaFoliette presented g mass OF
information. including opinions of
experts that the Wyoming field be-
cause of peculiar geological formation
was in no danger OF being drained.
He also made charge hat the leases
were for the benefit of private inter
ests and harmful to the public, and
in complete subversion of good public
policy. Recalling hat oil holding
lands had been withdrawn from en-
try by the Taft administration and
placed under jurisdiction of the navy.
LaFoilette told how they had so re-
manned, protected against exploita,
ton through the. Wilson administra-
ton by Secretary OF the Navy DAN
iels. and then turned over to Score
tary Fall as o o as President Hard
ing came into power. He charged that
FAN had always been the foo of con-
servation. aligned against Roosevelt
on that issue n the supporter OF
Ballinger. and said the present situa-
ton was wors than that which drove
Bafinger from the Taft cabinet
Friends OF Fan charge that IAFoi-
Iette is actuated by personal animos-
ity in that 1t was FAN who took lead
ership in the enate in the effort to
oust Senator LaFoilette on charges of
misconduct during the war. In sup
port of the OH leasing proposition they
say that Fail is actuated only by
thought OF protecting public interest,
and that II h oil reserves are not
developed now they will soon be
drained dry by private wells on their
borders. They assert that the leases
are unusually liberal with the govern
ment n save expense of develop
ment.. They deny the charge that
the leases with Sinclair were made
secretly. though It is admitted conn
'petitive bids were not asked for. and
it is on the latter feature that the
issue OF Questionable practice Is made.
In It's general aspect the senate in
v~estigation will serve to ally definitely
the schools who believe in private ex-
.ploitation Of public domain. and those
who propose a continued policy Of
conservation with any development by
h government. In this view It is
reviving the old Ballinger-Pinchot
scandal md its partisans. with Sec
Rotary Fall IN the role Of Ballinger.
charge being made hat he has ex-
ceeded his authority.
Senator Borah, a conservationist,
has served notice that he Intends TO
insist on radical reconstruction OF the
public leasing bill. so that there may
be no further encroanhment on pub
lie reserves without congressional con-
sent. He sees in the Wyoming leases
~ IN f,trx- ~ the payN and harpa II