New Britain herald., 1924-02-02
Reads Prepared Statement Claiming Investiga- ton Was Not Ordered By Present Congress = New Resolution Will Be Asked For Monday. ,,k
Investigators, in Dilemma, Close Doors and Go Into
 Executive Session at Once.

Washington, Feb. 2.-Haled before
 the senate oil committee today against
 the protest of his attorneys and physi-
 clans. former Interior Secretary Fall
 fiatly refused to answer questions
 about tn naval oil leases and his re-
 lations with Harry F. Sinclair and E. | l.. Doheny.
 Mir. Fall gave two major reasons
 why he declined to reply. the first was
 that the authority given to the inves- | tigating committe by the last congress
 had expired, and the second that in
 the light of the action of congress in ! directing institution of court action,
 civil and criminal, in ths oil lease
 cases, any answers he would make might tend to incrimnatc him. Executive Session Clearing the hearing room of the crowd which jammed every available l space, the committee went into cxecu- | tive session to determine it's course | in the light of the attitude of the for- mer cabinet officer and senator. As the committee deliberated Mir. Fall waited with his lawyers and physi- clans in an ente-room, The former secretary read care fully prepared statement in an even and firm voice.
 1t was with some difficulty that way was cleared through the crowd for MT. Fall to reach tho witness chair. His counsel, Levi Cooke, in preliminary statement said the former secretary was present in response to a subpoena issued yesterday but that he still was under the care of physicians and requested the committee to bear that fact in mind.
 Chairman Lenroot then admin istered the oath, Mir. Fall standing with right hand upraised.
 Just one question was put.
 Do you care to make any further statement about the matters under consideration by this committee? ?" tana.
 Mir Fall then read his statement.
 After the committee had gone into executive session, he was brought out of the ante-room where he had been awaiting the decision. He was resting heavily upon the arms of two men, who virtually carried him down the corridor to the room of Senator El- kins of West Virginia, where lounge was found for him. He seemed dazed and very weak.
 To Ask Another Resolution.
 Its authority 10 continue the in- vestigation having been challenged by Mir. Fall. the committee decided 10 ask tho senate on Monday to remove all doubt by readopting the original resolution authorizing the inquiry. The committee then adjourned until next Tuesday
 Mr. Fall will be recalled before the committee next Tuesday and should he then decline to answer questions senators said the issue of the authori- ty Of the committee to compel an an- swer under pain Of contempt proceed ings in the courts would be sauarely raised.
 The committee adopted unanimous ly the following motion made by Sen- ator Walsh:
 "On February 5. 1928. the senate adopted senate resolution 434 which authorized this committee 10 proceed as it has proceeded under senate roso- luton sS2 and senate resolution 29i, which by the expressed terms of scn- ate resolution 434 were continued in full force and effect until the end of the 6Sth congress. authorized inc committee to sit during the sessions or the recesses Of the senate and after the expiration of the present (67thD congress until the assembling Of the GSth congress and until otherwise or- dered by the senate
 While this resolution would clearly seem to warrant the proceeding here- tofore had since the adjournment of the 67th congress. our right 10 do SO having been challenged by Albert E. Fall in the statement read by him 10 the committee this morning. I move that when the committee adiourns it adjourn 10 meet at TO o'clock Tues day morning February 5. 1924. and that the committee present 10 the sen- ate on Monday next February $. and ask the immediate adoption Of a reso- lution in substance identical with san- ate resolution 2Sz and senate fesoiu- ton z94 (61th coneressB in order that the question raised by thl state ment of Mr. Fall may be elifaiBated.~
 Falls Statement
 NIT. Fall read thLs prepared state- ment
 T decline Co answer the questions for the following reasons, and on ths grounds.
 s--TNfs 4-nrn nr1fttf-s is gsor1rreffur aE under senate resolution gSg. agreed to April g1. 1929. in the s7th congress and in senate resolution 7s4 agreed to May IS. 1923. in the same congress. and further by virtue of senate resolution 4sf. agreed 10 by Inc senate on February 5. 1928. dur Ing the same congress. and I do not consider that acting under those
 s,-.54gsa.....a = reaz,a sss~4Eszs..N