The New York herald., 1922-12-03
OIL INTERESTS DENY
NEAR EASTERN GRAB
Standard Contradicts Charge
Of Untermyer Regarding
Sultan's Heirs.

Emphatic denial Is made by the
ing. as charged by Samuel Untermyer.
to wrest valuable oil lands from the
control of tho heirs Of the late Sultan
of Turkey Abdul Hamid II. This
statement was issued yesterday by the
Standard Oil Company Of New Jersey /:
I'm statement apparently issued BY
Samuel Untermyer and published in to:
days morning papers he seeks to ex-
plain the character of the claims of the
heirs OF Abdul Hamid H.. late Sultan Of
Turkey, to vast property interests
chiefly In Asia Minor, including claimed
oil rights in Mesopotamia. In this con-
nection he charges that the Standard
Oil Company Is seeking to wrest these
possible oil fields from the ownership
Of the Abdul Hanid heirs
"The Standard Oil Company 'abso-
lutely denies this charger During the
past summer an American attorney
called upon a representative Of this COM
pany and asked whether the company
would be interested in considering pur-
chase OF an interest In the oil rights
claimed to be owned by the Abdul
Hamid heirs. This attorney was told
that IL the heirs held valid rights the
company would be willing to discuss the
question, but he has not since ap-
preached us.
'The standard Oil Company has never
considered the validity OF these claims
or attempted to verify. to its own salts
faction. the statement often made by
persons who claim to be conversant
with them that the Sultan Abdul Hamid
appropriated to his private use property
interests which were held In his name
but really belonged to the Turkish Gov
ernment. Tho Standard OIL Company ie
not endeavoring to appropriate rights
in Mesopotamia or elsewhere that may
be legally owned by any other interests.
"In the published statement Mr. Inter-
myer alleges that the State Department
has espoused the cause of the Standard
Oil Company In obtaining rights In
Mesopotamia because the policy or the
omen door means the Standard Oil Com
pany. This and q similar attack re.
Gently made by Henry Mcrgenthau are
unsupported by facts.
"'The State Department has been con-
sistently maintaining the simple PROPOSE
ton that the citizens of the United
states SnOulQ nave tqudt oppoi seiiNs -
engage In commercial pursuits to de-
velop the natural resources OF inundated
territories. along with the nationals OF
the respective allied Powers which might
possess the mandate. This is the policy
of the open door for all American In
terests. and any one conversant with the
attitude of the State Department knows
that this is tho fact and that there Is
no espousal of the cSse Of the Standard
OIL Company alone. Furthermore. the
policy of the omen door does not mean
that preexisting valid rights may be
ignored"
Irwin Untermyer sailed yesterday on
the White Star liner olympic. onhis way
to the International conference at
Lausanne. where he will represent his
father. Samuel Untermyer. In the inter-
ests of the twenty-tDo heirs OF the late
Sultan lighting to gain possession OF oil
fields In Mesopotamia.
The future OF Mesopotamia IL being
debated by the Powers at Lausanne.
Mr.. Untermyer's clients say that Abdul
Hamid not only ruled the country in
which the oil fields are located, but that
he purchased them with his personal
funds and therefore placed them beyond
changes in the political situation.
Samuel Untermyer denied q report
that he will go to Europe on tho same
mission.