Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-03-01
Oil Inquiry Reaction.

cts about time we were having
housekeeping at Washington. We
ought to throw them all out"
This remark by man the other
day represents the average reaction
to the oil naval reserve lease in
vestigation that started in the senate
as an inquiry of good intentions, but
has degenerated into political fish
ing party, with each party fishing for
an advantage.
If any wrong-doing is discovered
by the impartial investigation begun
by the president through two at
torneys of recognized standing, and
the guilty are brought to justice, it
is doubtful if even that accomplish
ment will offset the harm that has
been done by the senatorial investi-
CATION.
The charges and counter charges
that have been made have served to
weaken the confidence of the man in
the street in public officials. He
who does not stop to think arrives at
the hasty conclusion that all men in
public office are crooks and should
be driven out.
We can't scrutinize the acts of
office holders too closely, but we
should not judge them until the facts
are all heard An investigation by a
partisan senatorial committee can't
be depended upon to bring out all the
facts
We hold no grief for the late sec
rotary Of the navy, but he was obed-
lent 10 the will Of congress when he
executed the agreements with the
Mammoth Oil Company and the
Pan American Petroleum and
Transport company.
The congress expressly provided,
under date Of June a, 1920, that the
secretary of the navy should take
possession of all oil properties within
the naval petroleum reserves, "to
conserve, develop, use and operate
the same in his discretion, directly
or by contract, lease or otherwise,
and to use, store, exchange or sell
the oil and gas products thereof. and
those from all oil royalty lands in the
naval reserves, for the benefit of the
United States"
The former secretary said that he
was convinced that the naval oil
lands under discussion, totalling ST.
623 acres, were being drained by
priyated-owned wells adjoining these
reserves. His conviction was based
on reports of government and other
experts.
One Of three courses was open to
him He could do nothing and
guard what would have been
ultimately drained of its riches, il
he reports Of experts were to be
believed; government drilling which
was impractical; or lease the right
to drill under proper restrictions t.
private enterprise. He chose tn,
latter course, the wisdom of which
only careful and wholly unbiased
investigation will determine.
The former secretary was cen
sured for recommending the trans
fer Of the naval oil reserve lands tc
the department of the interior. Hi,
answer was the interior depart
ment has under its jurisdiction H.,
622.500 acres Of public oil lands al
ready leased to private enterprises
and that in keeping with the policy
Of the government to coordinate al
of its activities, he deemed it tn,
wisest course to place the depart
ment Of the interior in charge of al
oil lands
People slow to form an opinion
until the evidence is all in, will wei.
come Thoughtful and patriotic in.
quiry into all Of these transactions
because the rockies charges that
have been made are a challenge to
the integrity of American public
men.-Ex