Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
POMERENE IS GIVEN
SENATE 0. K. AFTER
LONG, BITTER ROW
Confirmed by So to 13 Vote.
Roberts Approval on Mon
day Forecast.
CAPA6ILITY OF SPECIAL .
COUNSEL IS ASSAILED
Both of High Integrity, Foes Ad-
NIT, But Bigger Men Needed,
Is Claim.

Senator Walsh. democrat. Montana
the Senate confirmed. last night. the
nomination of Atlee Pomerene. for.
mer senator from Ohio, to be a spe.
cial government counsel in the oil
lease cases. The vote was SO to IS.
Consideration Of the nomination OF
Owen j. Roberts Of Philadelphia to be
MIR. Pomerene's associate, was defer
red until tomorrow, but conf NATION
was forecast
Approval Of the nomination Of Mr.
Pomerene came after more than six
hours the Senate fought over the
question OF whether the nominations
sh"''if - c..:- i7H"ea m executive ses-
sion, as is the usual custom, then 1,
Il - ~ : To discuss them in the
open. Senators Fess of Ohio and No.-
beck of South Dakota, republicans
voted in the negative.
The roll call on Mr.. Pomerene's ap.
pointment follows:
Yeas:
Republicans: Borah, Brandegee
Cummins. Curtis, Dale. Edge, Ernst
Tess. Gooding, Hale, Harreld. Howell
Jones of Washington, Keyes, Len
root. Lodge, Mckinley. McNary
Moses. Norbeck. Pepper. Phipps
Reed of Pennsylvania. Smoot. Spen-
GER. Wadsworth. Warren. Watson
Weller ana Willis.-S4.
Democrats: Bayard. Broussard
Bruce. Caraway. Dial, Fletcher,
George. Glass. Harrison. Hefiin
Jones of New Mexico, Kendrick, King,
Mcclellan. May1eld, Overman. Pitt
man Ransdell. Reed of Missouri, Rob-
TralnmeIl and Walsh of Massachu-
setts.-20.
Total, SO.
Nays:
Republicans: Brookhart, Frazier,
LaFoiiette and Norris. =
Democrats: Adams, Ashurst, Dill,
Sheppard. Stanley, Walsh of Mon
tana and Wheeler.
F'armer-Labor: Johnson and Ship
stead. ~
Total, Is.
House Adopts Resolution.
without discussion or a record vote
adopted the Walsh resolution direct.
ting mat proceedings be Instituted
for the recovery Of sections is and
SO within the confines of naval re.
serve No. i in California, now oper-
ated by the Standard Oil Company OF
California under grant from the
state,
These were the only concrete de.
ve)opments today in the. oil matter
The oil committee is in recess until
February %, md Chairman Lenroot
said no subpoenas for additional
witnesses would be issued in the
meantime. Government auditors will
continue their work, however. on the
books Of stock brokerage firms in an
effort to determine whether govern
ment officials traded in oil stocks
about the time Of or subsequent to
the Fall oil leases.
Controversy Sharp.
There vas a sharp controversy in
the Senate both in open and execu-
tive session. over the proposition as
to whether the nominations of special
counsel should be considered in open
executive session, but once that
issue had been settled. the Senate
proceeded with little of the fervor
that usually eharactertzes Senate dis
cusSion.
President Coolidge was assailed
from both the republican and demo-
cratic sides of the chamber for his
failure to consult beforehand with
Senator Walsh regarding the counsel
he selected. and there were sugges-
tions that he also should have con-
ferred with Senators LaFollette of
Wisconsin. leader of the republican
insurgents, and Kendrick, democrat.
Wyoming, pioneer In the oil investi-
cation. =
Practically the only objection raised
to Mr.. Pomerene was that he lacked
experience and ability to handle the
cases at issue. All senators attested
to his honesty and integrity, his
courage and fidelity. while a number
Of senators. republicans as well as
democrats. contended that he had
ample ability and the necessary ex.
perience to handle the cases.
Walsh Describes Needs.
Senator Walsh, who was praised on
all sides as the one man who had
made possible the disclosures in the
oil inquiry, told the Senate there were
Just two qualifications necessary In
special counsel-honesty and capa-
bility.
Senator Pomerene answers the
first" he declared. mo one, questions
his honesty. No one dares to ques-
ton It..
II am opposed Ex-senator Pomerene
because don't think he has had the
experience or training as a lawyer
to At him for this tremendous task
ahead of~us. I, venture to say that
not one Of the ninety-six senator's In
this chamber, II this property worth
millions had been taken away from
him. would select Senator Pomerene
to represent. him. And am certain
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