The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-09-26

articles dealiuS with the outstanding
events IN the life OF Senator La Fol-
lette in the last twelve years.
viii appear in The Indianapolis Times TO-
morrow.
Members of Congress are not much
different from other folks. Often it
requires the dramatic-or the melo-
dramatiC-to engage their attention.
Facts and figures and plain logic
sometimes leave them cold and in
different. But shown a mysterious
figure skuIking across the continent
carrying a black bag containing
100000 and told that the 100000
Is the lean Of multimilliOnaire oil
operator to a member Of the Presi-
dents Cabinet, they leap to the thrill
of the chase. And we have the
present situation in which the gov
eminent is now endeavoring to re-
cover through the courts the oil
lands needed for the navy. given
away by this Cabinet member TO the
friendly multi-millionaire.
For several years, prior to 1919,
the Senate and House had failed to
agree on legislation dealing with the
pubIc's oil lands. In the Sixty
Fifth Congress, the Senate passed a
bill disposing of mineral lands by
patent. The House rejected this bill
FAnd substituted a measure providing
r leasing such lands. The subject
ben was sent to a conference com
~ pmmitte, representing the two
anches Of Congress. but after
many meetings the conference
agreed that their differences could
not be adjusted.
Friends of conservation were sat
SIZED with the situation because it
was their hope that the next Con
gTess would be able to pass a proper
leasing bill
They felt they had the support of
The President. Indeed, it was the
accepted belief that il was the Presi-
Eent's encouragement that had
caused the House 10 stand out
against the Senate so long. But.
very late in the session. it was whis-
Bered about that messages had been
received from Paris. where the
President was absorbed in the peace
negotiations. urging Democratic
members of the conference commit
tee TO get together and enact some
kind of legislation disposing Of the
coal and oil lands.
The result was that House Demo
Gratis practically surrendered to the
Senate conferees. The bill agreed
upon would eventually have allowed
title 10 pass 10 all of the oil lands
remaining in the public domain.
It was near the end Of the session.
The life Of the sixty-fifth Congress
would expire March (. Appropria-
ton bills had the right Of way in the
Senate. Quietly. one day, the apprO-
priatioD bill then before the Senate
was withdrawn and the public land
bill was slipped in. 1t provided for
disposition of coal. oil, phosphate
~ other public lands.
With legislation on a large number
Of subjects crowding for considera-
ZION on all sides. I knew that in the
short time remaining the dangerous
character OF this bill could not be
made clear, and 1 resorted to a fill
buster to force its withdrawal. Sena-
tor Sherman of Illinois and Senator
France Of Maryland agreed TO help
me. When il became apparent that
I've were determined TO continue the
discussion until end of the session,
The bill was withdrawn. A few days
later. however. another attempt was
made TO slip it through. in the hope
that we would be off guard. Again
the f1libuster was undertaken and the
leasing bill was stopped.
Incidentally. the delay resulted in
failure to pass nine Of the needed
appropriation bills and made an ex-
TIA session of Congress necessary
that summer. For this reason our
fIibuster was severely condemned in
some quarters, but IL ought to be
told that those nine appropriation
bills as finally passed in the extra
session had been reduced 5000, 900 900.
3 Senator SmOot. chairman Of the
Public Lands Committee. brought In
his oil-leasing bin during the extra
session, which began in May. 1919.
I fought II in eight or ten speeches.
trying in vain 10 save the Nays
oil lands from private exploitation.
> other Senators aided and TO some
- Ia a..
standpoint of the public interest. But
when I offered an amendment to
strike out those parts of the bill
permitting the leasing Of naval oil
reserves. my amendment received
let seven votes in addition to my
&Fvn.
THE bill as drawn said. in a
Speech in the Senate. Sent s. 1919,
will. I believe. destroy the naval
reserve set aside for the Navy.
Truth Of all this seems clear
enough now It was so clear to the
Senate in the last session that it
forced President Coolidge to Dust his
Secretary Of the Navy. Edwin L.
DENLY, for failing to see II.
Complete story Of the naval oil
reserve brings into strong relief the
contrasting characters of two public
servants and two opposing theories
IF public policy. The two public
servants We're Josephus Daniels. for
eight years Secretary of the Nay.
and Albert r. FAN. for many years
p member Of the Senate and for a
few years Secretary of the Interior