Evening star., 1924-01-28

aer said lease or from the territory
covered ty the same, to secure any
further appropriate incidental relief
ana I" prosecute such other actions
or proceedings, civil and criminal as
may be warranted by the facts in re-
iatI"n to the making OF the said
I lease.
And the President is further
authorized and directed to appoint. by
ana with the advice and consent Of
me senate. special counsel. who shall
lave charge and control OF the prose
l "ution of such litigation, ANYTHING in
IN" statutes touching the powers of
IN" attorney general of the Depart
| hfn' or Justice to the contrary not
understanding"
Before the President announced at
! midnight saturday the administra-
tion determination to act at once to-
theward annulling the naval oil reserve
leases, Senator Walsh. democrat, Mon
i%na, " no mas peen foremost in press
ing the Senate oil inquiry. had pre-
pared and the Investigating commit
! zee had lndorSed in principle a reso-
! Iutlon authorizing the Executive to
ACT ana directing him to employ spe-
clai counsel to take charge Of the lit
| igatiou.
This resolution. on which Senators
Naish and Caraway. democrat Ar
Tor the latter's pending conceIlati3n
measure. Is similar 10 the one intro
du"ed Saturday by Representative
Jarrett democratic leader. in :he
rouse, , winch viii be called upon to
aIt on the Walsh resolution if il is
adopted by the Senate Mr.. CAREER
ana other leaders Anticipated utrle
or no opposition to the resolutions
uecidFlhS II was desirable for Con-
sreSS TO take action at this time 10
| reahrm the policy of three successive
ADMINISTRATIONS TO maintain in inc
so"iu an adequate naval oil supply.
House Committee Acts.
me investigating committee sus-
pehoed It's inquiry for the day be-
cause of the Senate discussion IN,
the House naval COMMITTEES toolt a
hand in the situation. having asked
rear Admiral l.. T.. Gregory, chief of
the bureau or yards and docks. to
produce the leases for the Wyomine
ana california reserves
Albert B. Fall, who. as Secretary
OF the Interior, signed the leases to
the Harry +. Sinclair and Z. L. Do
heny interests, and Thomas Johnson
foreman OF his ranch at Three Rivers
y. Mex. meanwhile, are here Tor ex-
animation by the Senate COMMITTEES
| with reference TO various financial
| Transactions mentioned in the testi
mony last week of Doheny. Archie
Roosevelt. q. u. Wahlberg, Sinciair's
former secretary, and J. w Xevely
bis personal counsel. Some doubt
was felt whether Fall would be able
to appear tomorrow, as planned. since
| his physician declared 1t would have
been impossible for him to go before
the committee today. He has been
confined to the home of Zevely here
since his arrival from New Orleans
last week.
Holds Fraud Indicated.
The Walsh substitute for the Cara
way resolution. which was made pub
lie last night, charges that the Sin
! lai,
ed without authority under cir
cumstances indicating fraud and cor
ruption." Senate action will be con-
fined 10 the Teapot Dome transaction
at this time, ii was explained. be-
cause of the conditional offer by
Doheny, through his counsel. to recon
vey to the government the leas@
awarded to his company on the Cali
| fornIa reserve.
Senator Walsh. in making public
his resolution, said word of the COM
mittee's decision OF support in prin-
| ciple, despite a pledge to regard IL
as confidential. obviously" had been
! taken to the White House prior to
the Presidents announcement of his
decision to act at once.
! White House officials, describing
the Presidents course in formulating
his decision. said he devoted his trip
SATURDAY on the Mayfiower to study
of the situation. after which he con-
ferred with advisers here and. short
Ily before issuing his statement, re-
ceived communication from Attor-
ney General Daugherty, who is at
Miami, Fla, urging him TO taEe Tie
action announced.
The Presidents conferees included
IChairman Lenroot of the inveStigat-
ling committee; Senator Curtis of
kansas, assistant republican leader;
and Assistant Attorney General Hol-
land, who has been observing the
progress of the hearing for the last
iweek. as the personal representative
Telegram. sent from Miami, Fla, said:
May 1 again urge the desirability
you Immediately appoint two out
standing lawyers, who as such. shall
leases under investigation by the
Senate or others and advise you to
the facts and law Justifying legal
proceedings of any kind.
Says Move Assures Fairness.
LAS you know 1 do not desire 70
ievade any responsibility in this or
other matters. but considering Mr.
Fall and 1 served in the cabinet to-
gether this would be fair to you, to
Mr.; Fail and the American people, as
Department of Justice, and nv as
lsociates and assistants therein.
| Il do not desire to be consulted as
to whom you shall appoint. The only
suggestion / have to make in that
regard is that those appointed shall
be lawyers whom the public will at
once recognize as worthy of con-
| fidence and who will command the
respect of the people by not prac-
ticing politics or permit others to do
so in connection with this important
public business. Their work can he
done with or without the co-onara
tion Of the Department of Justice or
, anybody connected Herewith, as YOU
and they may desire. The Depart
: ment of Justice is at all times. In
8 this or any other matters, at YOUR
service, and at the service of your
| appointees in this connection"
) Acting Attorney General Seymour
, and Assistant Attorney General HoI-
= land spent almost all yesterday at
, the Department of Justice workino o.
on the oil investigation matter and
last night had a conference with the
. President. They declined to make
, any statement.
Precedent for the employment ~
special counsel to conduct investtea-
tions for the executive department.
, Independent Of the Department Of
, Justice is found by President Cool
. idge in the appointment by President
, Wilson of Charles F.. Hughes to in
; yestigate aircraft expenditures dur
ing the war. Mr.. Hughes was named
| without action of Congress and made
his report direct to the President.
II SINCLAIR ILL IN FRANCE