The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-08
O|L SHORTAGE
 IN F|VE: YEARS SEEN FOR J. 5.
 Country Will Be Dependent
 Upon Imports To Definite
 Extent, Biologist Testifies
 At Teapot Dome Hearing SECRETARY DENBY AND SENATOR WALSH TILT Admiral Griffin Still Main
 tains President Exceeded
 Authority, And Is Sup
 ported By Senator Norris

. WASHINGTON, Dee. 7.-(By Asso- ciated Press 1.-The United States will be dependent upon imports within five years for definite DOT ton of its oil supply, Dabid White, seaport geologist of the geological survey, predicted today in testifying in the Senate public land committees inquiry into leasing of naval oil re- serves.
 Declaring that it was necessarily more of prophecy than an estimate" :" Mr. White added that he was doubt ful if the navy could go five years longer with constantly increasing consumption upon domestic produc- ton. Other supplies must be drawn upon. he said, either from irregu- larly increasing foreign fields or from oil shale."
 Chairman Shoot asked if similar opinion had not been held by oil men in 1917-1S.
 AS understood it." Mir White said, the prediction then was that we had reached the end of the Bonanza -Gusher period" DO you consider all the oil fields in the United States have been dis covered?" asked Senator Shoot
 'Emphatically not"
 Walsh and Denby Tilt.
 A tilt occurred between Secretary Denby and Senator Walsh, democrat, Montana. during the session. In re- ply to several questions concerning leases Mir Denby replied that he didn't know
 "As matter of fact. you know nothing of these matters suggested Senator Walsh
 If | mght refer to the. depart merits fIies,' replied Mir Denby. T would gladly answer any question.
 That would do me no good, said Senator Walsh. "I want to show that you can give no reply from your own knowledge"
 "The same thing is true of any one of 10000 details which are in the de- partments routine activities, the Secretary asserted.
 Assistant Secretary Roosevelt and Rear Admiral Robert s. Griffin. re- tired, former chief of naval engineer ing, also were recalled in connection with testimony relating to the execu- tive order which had transferred the reserves to the interior departments Jurisdiction.
 Walsh Reads Copy.
 Senator Walsh read what he de- scribed as the original copy drawn in the navy department and called attention to pencilled corrections substituting for the phrase approval of the Secretary or acting secretary of the navy" provision requiring only consultation and cooperation with those officials. Mir. Roosevelt said the order as drawn was the form approved by MT. Denby and himself, and then by Secretary Fall.
 Admiral Griffin declared he still adhered to the opinion that the en- tire order was illegal since super vision of the reserves had been laid upon the navy by specific statute.
 T am of the same opinion, said Senator Norris, republican, Nebraska. "The President had no more right to nullify an act of Congress than would clerk
 Replying to a request from the committee for all corresp ondence bearing upon the leases, the White House replied today that no letter or other memorandum on the sub feet had been found in the executive files. Senator Walsh called atten- ton to the apparent discrepancy be- tween this report and the testimony of previous witnesses, who, he said, had referred to letters they had writ ten to President Harding.