The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-03-06
Coolidge Is
Principal" "
Says HefIin
Alabama Democrat Believes
President Referred to in
Telegrams Between Capt.
I tai and Palm Beach.
Used by Mclean in Wire

Washington, March 5.-Edward
Il. Mclean, Washington newspaper
publisher, and intimate friend OF
the late President Harding, will be
given an opportunity to tell all he
knows to the senate committee in
yestigating the leasing Of the naval
oil reserves by former Secretary of
the Interior Albert Il. Fall.
This decision was reached today
by the committee, which determined
to hear the publisher i'm an execu-
tive session and ask him to re-
veal frankly all that he knows OF
the circumstances surrounding the
granting of the leases and subse-
quent developments.
Washington, March 5.-As the oil
committee prepared today to estab-
lsh the identity of the principal
mentioned in one of the celebrated
Mclean kilograms, Senator Heflin,
democrat, Alabama, told the senate he
thought the reference was to Presi-
dent Coolidge.
"I think the principal referred to
here is the president" Senator Heflin
said after reading the message sent
to the Washington publisher at Palm
Beach on January 20 last by Ira e.
Bennett, an editorial writer on the
Washington Post.
Senator Heflin expressed the belief
that the statemnet in the telegram
that there would be mo designations
was in keeping with published state
ment about that time that President
Coolidge had said he would not per-
NIT Secretary DENLY to resign at the
time the senate was demanding his
resignation.
81 think these two things are con-
nected up" Senator Heflin said, that
they mean just what this telegram
sets out; that the principal had been
seen. that reaction in a political way
is expected; that there will be no
rocking of the boat and no resigna-
tons
II should like to have the commit
tee ask Bennett tomorrow under
stand that he is going to appear be-
fore the committee then-to explain
this telegram in detail
Referred to Again.
The principal is referred to In
another of the Mclean kilograms ex-
amined today by the oil committee
behind closed doors after the public
hearing previously announced had
been abandoned. The text was with
held until tomorrow, but some COM
rnittee men said 1t might be of assist
apce in the effort to ascertain who
the principal is.
Having received information that At
torney General Daugherty was in
Florida at the time the telegram was
sent, senators said they would seek
also to establish the nature of the
message which the Bennett telegram
informed Mclean had been delivered
to the principal
White House officials would make
no comment on Senator Helms state
ment other than to say that Bennett
had conferred with the president on
several occasions, but that there was
no record showing that he had
conference on January 20.
Bennett also declined to comment,
saying his statement would be pre-
sentsd % the committee, upon which
no has been In attendance for several
days in response to subpoena.
Examine 800 kilograms.
Something like 300 kilograms re
ceived and sent by Mclean and others
at Palm Beach were examined at the
4wo holIrs' executive session of the
Turn to Page Four. Column Five.)