The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-02-06
news review OF
CURRENTE Events
Coolidge Acts in Oil Lease
Scandal, and Clamor in
the Senate Continues.
BY EDWARD w. PICKARD

MONING with characteristic DELHI
~ GRAFTON, sure-fOOtedly and refus-
Ing to be Stampeded by the clamOr Of
politicians, President Coolidge has tax
en- the steps he considers wise and
necessary in the naval oil reserve
lease cases. He has appointed two
eminent lawyers, a Republican and
a Democrat, as special councillors TO
conduct the prosecutions, and his only
instructions TO them are ito prosecute
these cases in the courts so that if
there is any guilt IL will be punished:
II there is any civil liability it will
be enforced If there is any fraud It
will be revealed, and II there are any
contracts which are illegal they will
be Cancelled" The %CounselIOrs appoint
cd are Silas II. Strawn of Chicago and
Thomas W. Gregory of Texas, who
was attorney general in President VII
sons cabinet.
To the unbiased mind 1t would seem
that this action of the President should
ice enough To insure a just determine
'.an of tie whole unSavOry mess. But
the opponents Of the administration.
without and within the Republican par
~, are inSiStent on obtaining all the
political advantage possible from the
scandal, and this is understandable.
whether or not II is a worthy course
All through the week the sessions Of
the senate we're given over to fiery
speeches, most Of them denOuncing the
administration and demanding the res
nations Of Secretary of the Navy
i'enby and Attorney General Daugher-
rs. some Of them defending the PreSi-
dent and the cabinet officers named.
hGt not the oil leases. The house, too.
had its share of the storm. on Thurs
day the senate adopted a joint resOlu-
ton providing for the Canceling Of
10th the Teapot Dome lease held by
Harry Sinclair and the naval reserve
80. I lease held by Edward Dohpny.
The Democrats. who had the support
Of the inSurSent Republicans. then
brought up a resolution 10y Senator
Robinson or Arkansas. requesting
the president to cali for the r~esigna-
tions Of Sec. DENLY and Mr.. Daugher-
~. and it WIS more than intimateC
that there would q move to i'm.
peach those two ...io.- members IL
they refused to s... down. Dauch
ertg is in Florida because oil the Ill
mes ,f lis vie. and his friends sa,
he has no intention g ~'s;L.lny. III
Denny. holly asserting mat his f
and that of the navy de-, avis ,lt
absolutely clean, declared he had
resigned and would not resign. s.
he:
In my opinion did the right Thin
but Of course, in view of recent dc
velopments, that now is a matter fo
the courts to decide. If l had to.
would do the same thing all over agai
tomorrow. l am convinced of the p.
cality of the leases. l am convince
they were for the best interests O. t.
United States.
Albert B. Fall, central figure of II
scandal. was in a state Of ncrvsl
collapse in Washington and una'
appear before the senate con-. %
according to the statements O u
three physicians. The committee COZ
sidcrcd the advisability Of going
Fails apartment to take his testimon
sinclair, being informed in F.
rope that The committee wished hi
T. return and give further testimon
cahlci mat, having testified five tim
and been discharged, ne would n
come back until he had completed h
business abroad. He reiterated +
statement that neither he nor the coz
panies with which he is connect
ever gave Fall or any government re
rcsentative any money or other co
sidcration in connection with the Ee
pot Dome lease.