The daily worker., 1924-02-13

Interior to proceed to cancel the
Standard Oil titles on Sections 16 and
36 in Naval Reserve No. / in Cali
fornia. The fraud involved was
shown during the TEAPOT Dome
inquiry.
1t was on the pretext that the
naval oil was being pumped away,
thru Standard Oil wells located on
these sections, that Secretary Fall
gave Reserve No. J.. to Doheny on
lease, and Doheny jauntily predicted
that his profits would be $100,000,000.
Ancient Fraud.
F. c. Dezendorf, field agent for
the General Land Office, who was
stationed in California in 1918, testi-
fed before the Senate committee on
Jan. 25 that he Investigated the
claims to these two sections, and
made an adverse report in April, 1918,
showing that these were oil lands
and as such were reserved by the
government. That report was "mis-
placed" in the San Francisco Office
for some months, and then DeZen-
dorf was transferred to Washington.
For seven years his report was buried
in the files here, while Standard Oil
held the disputed land and pumped
steadily from the petroleum deposit
beneath. And at last, after vain
attempt had been made to hold Atty.
Gen. Palmer responsible for surren-
deTing these oil lands to Standard
Oil, the fact Of that surrender was
used as Falls excuse for surrender
ing the richest l,il reserve that re-
mained in public hands, to his per-
sonal friend, Doheny.
Shows Political Trend.
This incident of seven-years-too-
late enforcement Of law by the Sem
ate is another straw in the political
wind. II shows to what extent panic
has seized upon the hard-boiled
cynics who make up the majority Of
both the Republican and Democratic
membership Of Congress. It is what
visitors TO the Senate gallery read in
the faces of the supposed leaders on
the floor, as these senators sit,
twisting nervous hands, listening to
some new chapter of infamy in OIL
The fight has gone out Of them.
They dare not resist new proposals
of Investigation Of corruption in high
offices Of the nation. They read the
daily press, they listen to chance con-
versations in the restaurants, on the
street, in the theatre lobby, and they
are afraid. The public has lost all
faith in the integrity of its federal
machinery. Too many hypocrites in
patriotic guise have been exposed.
The buster and brag of "business
in government" has been dropped.
Old party politicians have lost their
nerve.
Want Real Prosecution.
That is why Pomerene and Strawn
are being challenged, as suitable
counsel to prosecute the lawbreakers
disclosed in this inquiry. Pomerene
is the attorney of a big railroad
group, and is known as almost
fanatic in his big-business partisan
ship. Strawn's law firm includes the
father of one of Melons chief assist
ants, and is counsel for q Mellon oil
concern. A month ago such selections
by Mr.. Coolidge would not have been
seriously opposed; today they are
protested. Keen politicians- in Con-
gress know that the people want men
of the type of Francis J. Heney and
Frank P. Walsh to handle the pub
lies interest in this oil mess. Pom
creme and Strawn are prejudiced by
their whole business environment and
personal sympathies. They don't look
good to the millions of voters who
will bring in the verdict on this case
in November.