The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1922-04-29
GETS NAvY's OIL RESERVE.


sources which was a hobby Of Theo-
dore Roosevelt and q policy Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt's administration is in
danger Of being completely over.
thrown, to judge by the violent as
saults that are being made upon it
in connection with oil and coal lands.
What promises to be a great ma
tional scandal is the alleged turning
over Of the huge Teapot Dome oil
fields in Wyoming to private inter"
ests. This is one Of the fields held
in reserve for the navy to keep ade.
quate reserves of fuel for its oil-burn-
ing ships. The naval oil reserves
were recently taken over from the
navy department by the interior de.
partment under an executive order by
President Harding. The deal for the
Teapot Dome district is with the Sin
clair Oil interests, subsidiary of the
Standard Oil, and the latter company
is said to be preparing to build pipe
lines to carry the oil to its refineries
in the Middle West. The Sinclair oil
stock has been more or less dormant
for year. just prior to the time of
the alleged closing Of the deal with
the interior department. the market
value of the stock Increased more
than $3O,0o0,O00 in three days, as
result of huge transactions on tho
New York Stock Exchange, indicat-
ing that there was an inside tip on
the alleged deal.
If it had not been for the vigilance
of Senator John B. Kendrick, who SO
ably represents Wyoming in the
United States senate, this deal which
was made in secret and evidently
without any competitive bids might
not now be known. to the public.
Senator Kendrick introduced reso-
luton calling upon the secretary Of
the interior for information concern
ing this oil negotiation, and in speak
ing upon this resolution he pointed
out the immense value of this great
naval oil reserve, and also that it was
Of greater benefit to the nation to
allow this oil to remain stored under
ground than to remove it across the
country to be stored in surface tanks
as was poposed.
Secretary Fall of the interior: de-
partment has been consistent op-
ponent of national conservation. He
is not the only member of the ad-
ministration who has been identified
with representatives of Standard Oil.
Attorney General Daugherty was a
lieutenant of the late Senator Foraker
in Ohio, and Foraker was known as
the Standard Oils representative at
Washington. President Harding was
also affiliated with the Foraker fac
ton in Ohio in those days.
Recently when the independent oil
people Of Texas and Oklahoma were
clamoring for a tariff on oil, the
president Of the Standard Oil COM
pany Of New Jersey called at the
White House while the Fordney bill |
was pending in the house, and oil is
still on the free list.
One reason alleged for the sudden
change of sentiment among Republi-
can senator's who had previously OPP
posed the ratification of the treaty
with Columbia, when it was ratified
in the early part of President Hard
ing's administration, was that Stand
ard Oil was interested in the acqui-
sition and development Of Columbian
oil bearing territory.
The partnership between oil and the
Republican party dates back to the
early days when the Standard Oil
company was the ally Of the corrupt
Republican machine in Pennsylvania.
With the revelations concerning the
Teapot Dome district and the an
ticipated raid on government coal
lands in Alaska there is every reason
to assume continued alliance be-
tween oil and the G. o. P. Friends
Of national conservation are naturally
alarmed, and are already limiting that
conservation may be one Of the
prominent issues in the coming cam
paign.