Evening star., 1924-02-08
Mcs4DOOyQUITS DOHENY SERVICE;al
Asks 10. TESTIFY In: OIL PROBE
Some Newspaper Accounts Of His Connection With
;<PetroLeun1 Industry ''Vicious and Unfair,'
: Former Cabinet Member Says.


william G McAdoo former Secre-
tary OF TIE Treasury, and q candidate
for the deh,ocratic nomination for
President. announced here last night
that he had terminated his profess
aional service with E. L. Doheny, CAL
ifornia oil magnate, involved in the
naval oil reserve leasing investiga-
tion.
Mr. McAdoo, in his letter, also ex-
pressed a desire to appear and tes-
tify Immediately before the public
lands committee OF the Senate. which
Is conducting the investigation OF the
naval Oil reserve leases. 49, :.
Delayed Resignation.
The former Treasury Secretary said
that when he read in the newspapers
Mr.. Doheny's amazing disclosures
about his transactions with Ex-Sec-
retary FALL he refratned from i'm
al services with Mr.. Doheny, as was
his first impulse, but. had done so
now Tearing that the newspaper ac-
counts might be as vicious and un-
fair to Mr.. Doheny as some of them
had been to him."
Text Of .McAdoo Letter.
The text OF Mr.. McAdoo's letter to
Senator Lenroot follows: :.
My Dear Senator: Since my arrival
here yesterday a copy OF the letter to
you from Mr. T. L. Doheny has been
shown me correcting his testimony
before your committee with respect
to the aggregate counsel fees paid to
my former law firm, Messrs McAdoo,
Cotton & Franklin, and the annual
ter confirms my statement issued re-
Gently in Los Angeles, namely that
my said firm received 100000 In fees
and that i have received as special
counsel at Los Angeles $4,000 per
annum for the past two years and
that Mr.. Doheny's previous statement
that there had been paid to me or to
my firm and myself 325o.oeo was in
sire to appear and testify before your
committee Immediately. conceive
notwithstanding that Mr. Doheny's
letter emphasizes his testimony to the
ever employed in any way in connec-
tion with any matter relating to the
contracts and leases which have been
under investigation by your commit
your committee and to the American
people a complete statement Of my
professional associa ton to Mr. Do.
heny's companies, in order to show
neither as counsel nor In any other
capacity have l had any relation, near
or remote. to the contracts and leases
which have been the subject Of inves-
t!gation before your committee.
1t Is also important that / appear
promptly. because the newspapers
throughout the land have bIazoned
my N.Y. name A., ,s on the front page in glaring
manner. as though ! were involved in
some way. In this nauseatins scandal.
This has had the wholly unfair effect
OF diverting attention. temporarily at
hA 1r.s
member Of the cabinet Of this adminis-
tration. who appears to have acted cor
ruptiy and to haye grossly betrayed a
public trust. I am not willing that the
innocent shall be made to suffer in
order that the guilty may be protected
or shielded by this transparent effort
to bring odium upon innocent men
connected with former administra-
ton.
Record an Open Book,
In the several capacities in which
1 asei served the; the government during the
Wilson my record is an open book.
invite the most searching investiga.
ton OF my official conduct while In
PuSlc made oce sstrated 1T has not already been
was in office. neither did I enrich my
self at the<exEenae OF my county or
its people, nor permit any other man
ury I received salary of $4,000 per
annum only, and as director general
81 St.ta all the srid raiiToads ;,, Of the United
was signed in 1918 I resigned as Sec
retary Of the Treasury because after
six years in office. was In reduced
1ed my hae aeas .r:: wa:
number Of people depending on me
for their living and their future and
Iva was ,,eo obliged: upon my return to pri.
my profession in order to make pro-
vision for them and for their future.
To resume the practice Of my profess
necessary thing for me to do.
Early in 1919 / entered an active
law firm in New York with q wide
general practice as its senior member,
and until January l. 1922, continued
York city. Since that time I have
been actively engaged in the practice
OF law in Los Angeles.
With the growth OF governmental
instruments. the contacts Of modern
business OF all kinds with the gov
ernment have become more frequent
and necessary. and no lawyer can en-
joy remunerative practice without
appearing in behalf OF his clients be-
fore the courts. governmental agen-
public opinion debarred q lawyer who
had held public ONCE from such work
his opportunity to make q living or
acquire competence for his family
would be at an end. In my work,
both In New York and Los Angeles,
have accepted such law business as
has been offered to me and which
was legally entitled to take, provided
the business was honorable and prop.
er. In addition to arguing cases In
Tho courts. have argued matters be-
tore some of the federal departments
and have filed briefs and memoranda
in these departments, among others
the State and Treasury departments
and the Shipping Board.
never knew Mr.. Doheny until
after resigned as SAcretary ~ tha