The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-19
us Tightening Its Grip On American Nation

son in New York, where he confers
with E. L. Doheny.
Admiral Robson is appointed as
chief of the bureau Of engineering,
in charge of the naval oil reserves,
shortly thereafter.
February, 1922-Gaston B. Means
carries a hundred one-thousand dol
lar bills to Jesse Smith, which was
paid by the Japanese firm of Mitsui
& Co. (Ltd.) which represents the
Japanese government as financial
agent. Mitsui & Co. were gathering
military secrets, especially on aero
plane construction. for the Japanese
government.
Immediately thereafter the depart
ment dropped case against the Nit
sui Co. for about $2,50O,OO owed
to the U. S. government.
Feb. 9-Gaston B. Means is sus-
pended from the department Of JUS
tice, for the reason, as Daugherty
later told him, that he was ''too ac-
tive in connection with investigations
concerning oil in Mexico" Daugherty
adding that a cabinet member had
requested his discharge.
March Treaty with Columbia
ratified, granting Panama $25,OOO,-
600; rumors of $5,O00,00O Of the
money going to an American graft
ring.
April Teapot Dome lease ex-
ecuted, giving naval oil reserves to
Harry F. Sinclair.
April IL (APprox. )-Secretary of
the Navy DENLY signed Teapot Dome
lease.
II Took Two Yearsl
April 14-Wall Street Journal car
ries notice that Teapot Dome lease
has been made.
April 25-Secretary Of the Navy
DENLY, and Secretary Fall of the in
terror department, make preliminary
lease with Doheny for California ma
val oil reserves.
May-H. Foster Balm, oficial Of
department Of interior, writes Fall his
advice that Daugherty should give a
legal opinion covering the Teapot
concession even tho he realized
the objections to asking such an opin-
ion. "None of u.s." he wrote, want
Mr.. Doheny to get into trouble and
| take it we will want to do anything
we can to make it easy for him."
May 2S-Gaston B. Means is re-
instated in the detective service of
the department of justice, with back
pay for time suspended.
April-Senator La Toilette having
introduced a resolution for the in
vestigation Of the Teapot Dome oil
lease, CASTOR B. Means says he was
instructed by Jess Smith and Under
wood to investigate La Toilette and
"get something on him (LaFollette)
and that he caused La Fcnette's Office
to be ransacked.
June l6-Mexican secretary of
finance, Adolfo de la Huerta, signs
settlement of Mexican debt in New
York with international Committee
of Bankers, for an amount totaling
$500, 100000 in gold.
July-Standard Oil Co. makes new
offer to Persian government for con-
cession on 90,O00,000 acres of oil
land, declaring it is now in a position
to keep the British out and take all
to itself. Meanwhile a representa-
tive Of Sinclair Consolidated Oil Co.
arrives in Persia. declares Standard
Oil is pro-British and that Sinclair
alone can handle their concessions in
dependently. Sinclair offers Persian
government 16 per cent net profits;
Standard offers 10 per cent gross
profits. Persian government holds
out for minimum of 20 per cent
h The Bridgman Raid.
August 22-Daugherty has depart
ment Of justice secret service opera
tives lead a raid on the annual po-
litical convention Of the Communist
Party.
About the same time Daugherty
has same set of secret service opera
tives swear out "17,000 affidavits of
crime" alleged to have been COM
mitted by railroad shop strikers. Fam
Gus anti-strike railroad injunction is
sued.
In the summer Of 1922, CASTOR B.