The Washington times., 1924-02-09
LAWYER 7 D
FACEHARD
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Pomerene Also Criticised by
Senator-BattIe Over
Their Confirmation.
By TOM EvERRITT.
Cosmopolitan News Service.

Silas H. Strawn, Of Chicago,
and Atlee B. Pomerene, Of Ohio,
the two lawyers named by Presi-
dent Coolidge to defend the
people in the prosecution Of the
alleged illegal Teapot Dome and
Doheny oil lease cases, will be
compelled to go through the
searching fire of public hearings
before the Senate Public Lands
Committee before their appoint
ments will be confirmed by the
Senate, United States Senator c.
G. Dill Of Washington, said today.
Dill Gives His Reasons.
It ID understood that an under
cover attempt by Old Guard Repub-
Leans to have the appointments
sent to the Senate Judiciary Com
mlttee for consideration was
thwarted by an uprising Of Demo
Gratis and progressive Republicans,
who demanded that the appoint
ments be sent to the Public Lands
Committee, which Is conducting the
oil leases investigation.
Senator Dill gave as his reasons
Tor objecting to the appointments Of
both Strawn and Pomerene, the fol-
lowing:
I'm the first place. Strawn is q
member Of the Chicago law firm
headed by John Barton Payne, for.
mer Secretary of the Interior un.
DER the late President Wilson.
Payne was one Of the United
States commissioners sent to Mex
leo to arrange with Obregon for
United States recognition Of
Mexico. In those negotiations, oil
and Doheny oil must have been one
OF the chief considerations, for Do
heny has been largely interested in
Mexican oil fields.
Follows Trail of Oil.
"Garrard B. Winston, Undersec-
retary OF the Treasury under An
drew w. Mellon, is also a member
or Strawn's firm. / have under
stood that Mr.. Mellon was the head
OF the Gulf Oil Company prior to
his becoming Secretary of the
Treasury. Therefore, the taint of
oil attaches to Mr.. Strawn to such
an extent that the people cannot
have the confidence in him they
should have in q public prosecutor
"Mr. Pomerene is a recognized
corporation attorney, which in itself
raises doubt in the mind Of the
people as to his effectiveness when
fighting from the standpoint Of the
people.
by his own statement, he is at.
torney for fifteen railroads which
are receiving the benefits Of the
1niquitous Esch- -Cummins transpor.
tation act which he helped to pass.
He opposed certain of Senator La
Tollette's amendments to the oil
investigation resolution which, If
passed, would have made this oil
grab much more difficult, if not
impossible.
Makes No Allegations.
IT do not charge that either of
these men would act dishonesty in
the prosecution Of the peoples case,
but the people must be considered
and they are entitled to have men
who have no oil or corporate In.
terests prosecute their case.
"If these prosecutions under the
direction of these two corporation
lawyers should fail, the United
States Senate will be blamed for
having permitted their appointment,
inasmuch as it is within the power
of the Senate, at this ime, to pre-
vent their confirmation.
"Even in this great crisis, Sena-
tors must consider something in
addition to mere legal ability. We
must, II possible, regain the peoples
confidence in their own Govern
tnent, which is fast being destroyed
by such revelations as are being
made in the oil scandal investiga-
tions."