San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-14
WAS 100000
FALL OBTAINED
LOAN OR bR|BE?
Criminal Culpability" Has
Not Been Proven by
Probers.
NO ONE CONVICTED
Former Secretary Of In
terror Must Prove In
nocence in Court.
NO ONE CONVICTED
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright by The San Antonio Light.
Washington. ID. C.. March IA
The Teapot Dome scandal has to date
failed to develop "criminal culpabil-
tty" on the part of any of the per-
eons mentioned in the controversy and
v mas not vet been proven that the oil
leases made by the government were
disadvantagcous.
This is the status of the investiga-
lion which has had many sensational
exposures, but which so far as legal
consequences are concerned has not
convicted anyon,.
The testimony of Edward i. Me-
Lean, Washington publisher. from
whom revelations were expected, fell
flat. His naive confession that "he
had gone down the line for n friend
and had made an. untrue statement
about the 100000 he was alleged TO
have paid Albert b. Fall, is accepted
here as more than likely TO have been
the cause Of the mysterious drawing
of checks which were never cashcd.
Was 1t Bribe?
After all the testimony is sifted.
one thing stands out as unexplained
and as likely TO produce interesting
consequences. Was Albert Il. Fall,
as secretary of the interior who made
the leases for his old friend, L. J.,
Doheny. influenced by the fact that
Mr.. Doheny had given him 100000
a year before? Was it loan or a
bride?
The special counsel for the govern
mcnt are going on the theory that
the leases were not in the interest of
the government and should be annulled
Mr.. Fall, himself, has taken advant-
age of his constitutional rights in de-
clining 10 testify before the Senate
committee since he will undoubtedly
be asked to answer the same Ques-
tons in court.
So the Senate committee cannot
determine whether Mr.. Fall was guilty
of accepting a bride or whether the
leases which he made injured the gov
eminent.
All the other testimony relating TO
conversations with Edward b. Me-
Lean become irrelevant unless it can
be proven that Mr.. Mclean was con-
nected in some way with the making
of the leases originally. And no evi-
dence of that kind has been secured.
Even if he had exercised his influ-
ence with Mr.. Fall he could not be
prosecuted for it because he is not a
member of the United States govern
ment. 1t would have to be proven
that he entered a conspiracy to de-
fraud the government and there is no
evidence of that before the commit
tee.
Must Prove innocence.
The Senate committee has not yet
called II. L. Sinclair, nor has it re-
newed its examination of +. l.. Do
heny and it is expected that the same
reasons for wishing the courts to sub
poena Mr.. Fall apply to these two
men, who will undoubtedly be wit
nesses in the civil cases which are to
follow.
All the minor witnesses who are
testifying as to conversations with or
kilograms to and from Mr.. Mclean
have failed TO produce anything IN
eliminating. 1t has been an interest
ing disclosure of how Washington
publisher with .hc.ne here and in
Palm Beach keeps in touch with
things and how friendly he is to pub
lie officials and how far he stretches
Lis friendship to shield a member Ct
the Harding cabinet-all this has
Kept the national capitol as fascinat-
Ell as it would be by detective story,
but so far as results are concerned,
nothing has been accomplished in and
the Teapot Dome case rests squarelY
in the courts where Albert e. Fall
will have TO prove his innocence and
where the value of the leases to the
government will be determined by ex-
pert testimony.
MAY Deepen Missouri.