New-York tribune., 1922-12-03
Standard Oil
Denies Charge
OF Unternyer
No Effort Made 10 Capture
Land Owned by Ex-Sul-
tan's Heirs, Is Flat Con.
tradiction by Company
Scouts u. S. "Favoritism'
State Departments Stand Is
Only for the Open Door
for All, Il Is Declared

Samuel Untermyers charge that The
Standard OIL Company Is attempting 70
obtain possession Of oil lands in Msso-
potamia, the rights in which really are
the property Of the heirs Of che late
abdul Hamid. former soltan Of Turkey,
drew a strong contradltion from inc
other side yesterday.
"The Standard Gil Company hstly de-
nies this charge" says a statement -.
sued by the Standard Oil Company Of
New Jersey. The statement goes on
to hint broadly that possibly Mr.. Un'
termyer's clients, the twenty-five Tar
kish princes and princesses who are
heirs 10 the late ex-Sultan' private fof'
tune. have suffered a confusion Of ideas
and that the oil lands in question do
not actually belong TO tho heirs pu'
20 the Turkish government
Mr.. Untcrmyers attack on the stan.
dard Oil Companys methods In regard
10 the disrupted oil lands implied also
that the State Department had been
persuaded into support Of the alleged
Designs OF the American corporation
To this the company replies that The
State Departments policy fayors the
open door in all inundated territory
The attack Is unsupported BY facts, the
company says.
During last sumner" the Standard
oil Company's statement declares, ian
American attorney called upon a repre-.
sentative Of this company and asked
whether the company would be inter
ested In considering purchase OF an
interest in the oil rights declared q
be owned by the Abdul Hamld heirs
This attorney was told that II the heirs
held valid rights, the company would
be willing 70 discuss the question. but
he has not since approached us.
"Ihe Standard oil Company has
never considered the validity Of these
claims or attempted 70 verify 70 is
own satisfaction the statement often
made by persons who assert they arc
eonyersans With them that the Sultan
Abdul Hamid appropriated 20 his pri.
vate use property interests which were
held In his name but really belonged
20 the Turkish government Tho
Standard oil Company is noe cndeay.
oring 20 appropriate rights In MesO.
potantia or elsewhere that may b.
legally owned by any other interests
ain the published statement Mr
Untermyer also alleges that the State
Department has ospoused the cause OF
the Standard oil Company IN obtaining
rights in Mesopotamia. This and q
similar attack recently made by Henry
Morgenthau are unsupported BY the
facts.
THE State Department has been
consistently maintaining the simple
proposition that the citizens Of the
United States should have equal oppor.
tunity TO engage In commercial pur-
suits TO develop the natural resources
Of inundated territories along with
the nationals Of the respective Allied
powers which might possess the man
date. This IS the policy Of the open
door FOR all American interests, and
any one eonyersant with the attitude Of
the State Department knows that this
Is the fact and that there is no es-
pousal Of the cause Of the Standard
OIL Company alone.
Furthermore, the policy Of the open
door does not mean that pre-existing
valid rights may be ignored