The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-02-13

Nov that the smoke screen of
battle poured all over the United
States by those who would at
tempt TO gain the political good
will Of the people in the coming
presidential election, has cleared
away and the motive underlying
the action of the accuSerS be
comes more plain with each sue
ceeding day. the people OF Mon
tana, regardless of party affilia-
ton, are asking Senator I. J.
Walsh. who had been such a
staunch defender of the proposal
to lease naval oil reserves, has
switched to the position OF a bit
ter enemy of the cOnsummated
contracts. as revealed by the
Congressional Record, and his
more recent struggle for the can
COLLATION. OF the leases upon Tea
pot Dome lands in Wyoming and
the Elk Hills field in California.
Comparison is OdiOus
According to a special article il
last Saturdays Montana Record-Her
aid, comparison of Senator Walsh s
official senate record and with n.
attitude as developed by the senate
inquiry into the leases brings int
considerable prominence questions
that the Montana constituents of the
senator remain unanswered.
Why did Senator Walsh oppose
Senator LaFOllette of Wisconsin when
the latter attacked the provisions of
Senate Bill No. 2775, known as Ine
general oil leasing bill, and when
gave to the Interior department and
the navy department the legal au-
thOrity to lease naval oil reserves
of the United States?
Why did Senator Walsh bitterly
oppose for two days the attempt OF
Senator LaFOllette to pass an
amendment to the general oil leas-
ing bill that would have eliminated
the naval oil reserves, more partic-
ularly the Teapot Dome and Elk
Hills?
1t was Senator Walsh's efforts
backed by his speeches in praise OF
Doheny and others that finally lie
feated the amendment.
1t was Senator Walsh who opened
the door to the naval oil fields tc
Doheny, Sinclair and the STANDARD
Oil interests.
Adoption Of Senator LaFollette''
amendment would have effectual!l
prevented the leasing of the navy
reserve oil supply by Secretary Fal
of the interior department, Secretar,
DENLY of the navy department or an,
other government officer.
Called Standard eMasure
LaFollette branded the bill as
Standard Oil measur and attacke
DOheny. Senator Phelan Of C%aliforni
and other persons known to have o
interests. Senator LaFollette's II
tack upon these persons was base
upon the ground that they were allie
with the Standard Oil company in
scheme to secure vastly valuable ma
ural resources of the country throul
the passage Of an oil leasing mea
ure. LaFOllette declared he did n
oppose the general principle of lea
ing oil lands controlled by the Unit,
States government, but based his o
jections upon the leasing of the
lands set aside as naval oil reserve
That he would have succeeded in
fight is conceded had it not beer f
the active opposit'~9 on the floor
the senate by tor Walsh a
aided, it is said, j a huge lobby.
That Edward D. -nv. when he W
placed upon the witness stand to gi
his testimony before the ~senate's
vestigating committee, GOT ct Of Ia
and spilled the beans ~..volving m
names not intended to De- |roua
to the inquiry, IS the conclusion dr..
from a comparison between Senat
Walsh's eloquent defense of Dohe
and his apparently merciless questi,
ing Of the same man upon the with,
stand.
Denies Standard Stain
In his senate debate Senator Wa
professed to believe the general /,
ing bill was not a Standard OIL ne