The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-02-14
ssTOP THIEvEs!"
By ROBERT M. La TOILETTE

By ROBERT M. LA TOILETTE
THE American people have been profoundly shocked
by evidence recently produced before the public lands
committee of the United States Senate inquiry into
the leases by which former Secretary of the Interior Fall
turned the naval oil private oil monopoly
As the author of the resolution under which this
quiry has been made weighing words and fully rea
zing their implication the American people that
even more amazing revelations in store for them,
honest and thorough-going Investigation is ordered.
Mr.. Fall had the misfortune to athwart vigor
investigation which reveals him before the pub
lie the recipient of 'oans" exceeding 100000
paid to him by oil mohopoliss to whom he renquished
oil lands valued hundreds of millions of dollars Mr.
Fall has been caught redhanded and the the
public is now centered upon him.
Officials Systematically Bribed
charge that his is but isolated case among many
involving high officials of the and revealing
conditions of graft and corruption Washington of the
magnitude of which the public has little conception
is deliberate Judgment that if the Congress of the
United States will discharge duty investigate
these conditions fully and imparaly it will be
that organized wealth, represented by such Sim
clair and Doheny has for many years. Democratic
and Republican administrations alike controlled the gov
ernment of the United States through precisely
methods of subversion Of government officials as were
pursued in the naval oil "grab."
assert that these charges easily suscepti-
Die OF proof as the charges incorporated in speech
in the United States Senate April %, 1922 in
which it was argued that the naval oil leases
should be investigated
Every charge then made has been sbstant ated
by the evidence publicly produced before the committee
on public Lands
Not Confined to One Party
The plunderng of the people and of the government
has not been confined to the Republican party the
present administration.
Under the Wilson administration, billions upon BILL
lions of dollars stolen from the people through
fraudulent contracts and by other corrupt The
United States Shipping Board engaged saturnala of
waste accompanied by graft and corruption Attorney
General Palmer the chief for of the
trail figures in the oil leasing scandal duly bound
expose these frauds and punish the guilty His failure
to act must be charged to the Democratic party and
the Wilson administration.
These frauds, involving vastly larger than the
corrupt naval oil leases should be promptly dealt with by
the next administration 1t is of course obvious the
public that these wrong doers will not be Justly dealt
with long Harry M Daugherty siss the Cabinet
of President Coolidge as Attorney General.
blouse Cleaning" Is Needed
These but few of the outstanding of
punder which call for prompt and effective action The
exposure this shameful record of governmental
corruption is only beginning. The people must de-
mand house-cleanng and expose the interests which
have been profting by the system
The teapot Dome scandal is significant example
how the present conditions becomes
the tool of organized monopoly and how members of both
political parties have been besmrched in the service of
corrupt and predatory wealth
ment of Mr.. Fall and Mr. Sinclair and the restitution
Of the oil lands stolen from the government will atone
for the wrong done the public and reach every party
guilty of misconduct, in this matter.
Coolidge SNot Convincing"
The action of the President in ordering the depart
ent of Justice to observe the Teapot Dome hearings
and promising civil and criminal prosecutions they
appear justified, will not be convincing to the people
As President of the Senate, Vice President Coolidge
April %, 1922 heard presented the floor OF that
body practically every important charge which has since
been substantated by the public lands committee regard
ing He into Office with these facts in his
possession thoroughly advised of the efforts of Sem
Smoot and Lenroot to put the soft pedal the
Teapot Dome hearings He made those Senators two of
his advisers He entertained Mr. Doheny who
Mr. Fall loan" of 100000 and who has testified that
he expects make s1OOOoO0OO profit from of the
obtained through Mr. FALL his personal guest at
the White House.
Can't Depend on Daugherty
Evidence which is available to the committee and