The Washington times., 1924-01-31
PALMER NAMED
NOW IN OIL
DEALS
Charges by Governor Pinchot
Brought out-AIIeges Big
Land Loss to U. s.
(continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page.)
sarIly surrendered the outright title
and ownership Of 100000 acres of
public land, worth four hundred or
five hundred million dollars, to va
rious private interests in the State
Of California. the principal interest
being that Of the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company.
Clifford Pinchot, Governor Of
Pennsylvania, IL drawn into Mis-
controversy through an open, fierce
attack made by him upon Mr..
Palmer for Mr.. Palmer's alleged
betrayal OF the interests Of the
public.
The case arose out Of California
lands, some Of which were In Naval
Oil Reserve No. One, which now
has been leased by Secretary Of the
Navy DENLY and by Ex-Secretary,
Of the Interior Fall to Mr.. Edward
L. Doheny and which Mr.. Doheny
has testified will bring him one
hundred million dollars in profits.
It IL claimed that the wealth thus
granted and conveyed to Mr.. Doheny
and Mr.. FAN IL accordingly only
one-fourth or one-fifth Of the
wealth which Mr.. Palmer, as Attor.
new General, conceded and surren-
dered to private oil interests
through failing to take an appeal
in the largest and most famous Of
all Federal oil land cases from a de-
cision Of a local Federal district
court to the Federal courts Of
higher authority.
Two California Cases.
It appears that there were two
quite parallel cases which were be-
ing conducted by the Federal Gov
ernment against private oil inter
estS in California in order to re-
cover lands which had passed to
those interests but which 1t was
claimed were really the properties
Of the United States Government.
One Of these cases was taken all
the way to the United States Su-
preme Court and was won by the
Government. The other, involving
lands which in some cases were alb
solutely adjacent to the lands in
the first case, was lost by the Gov
Mr.. Palmer's decision was never
appealed.
Commenting upon this act, or
ernor Pinchot in a letter to Presi-
dent Wilson declared:
"Mr. Palmer originally had six
months within which to perfect his
appeal. By his dereliction only
IN nva To q
/ wrote him, urging him to do his
duty. Having received no reply, I
turn to you. Every moment is
precious il a good fight for the
public interest is still to be made"
The four weeks expired, and the
appeal was not taken, and the lands
worth half a billion dollars passed
away from ownership by the United
States government without any fur
ther struggle and without any fur
ther legal possibility Of recovery.
Appeal Was Never Made.
Mr.. Palmer maintained that the
appeal would not have been sue.
cessrul: Governor Pinchot and
other Republicans maintained that
It was Mr.. Palmer's duty to go to
the Supreme Court of the United
states and to find out not what he
tnought but what the Supreme
court thought In a matter Of such
enormous financial consequence to
the United States Government.
Inen the Democrats were on the
defensive and the Republicans were
attacking. Now the Democrats are
attacking and the Republicans are
locking about for defensive argu-
ments. Their great argument with
which to defend themselves is going
TO be to try to prove that the Demo-
Gratis. when in power, have earned
no right to adopt any superior or
licans.
The upshot is likely to be that
poth parties will look about as white
as OIL does--or does not-when II
comes out Of the ground.
Copyright ls24, washington Press
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