Evening star., 1924-02-09

| me names or SlIaS ii. StraWn OF
=! Chicago and Atlee Pomerene Of Ohio,
to be special counsel for the govern
ment in the oil lease cancellation
cases, were sent to The Senate late
yesterday by President Coolidge for
! confirmation. They were referred to
the public lands committee.
The nominations were forwarded to
, the Capitol after the President had
| signed the Walsh cancellation reSo-
luton. In attaching his signature.
however. he appended a memorandum
taking exception to the language of
leases We're made in violation of the
law and under circumstances indi-
eating fraud and corruption.
, Text of Message.
President Coolidge'S message reads:
, Il have approved Joint Resolution
:. j. Res. 54, in order that a prom pit
and thorough investigation may be
made and appropriate action taken.
| express no opinion with reference to
the facts which purport to be found
in the preamble of the resolution, and
with reference to those parts of the
resolution which. under the Constitu-
tion. do not require concurrence of
the Senate and House of Representa- =
tiveS and which are unnecessary to
he presented to the President OF the
United States to make them effec-
| tive.
AS | said in my public statement
! issued under date OF January Is. il
. is for the courts to determine the
legal effect of the circumstances In
cident to the execution OF the leases
and contracts mentioned. and whether
| they were executed with or without
Authority on the part of the officers
purportinG to act for the United
States and in good faith. / reiterate
that it is the junction of the courts
| to determine criminal guilt and to
l i,,d, u, ni
| that | propose TO have done.
In view of the Importance of the
subject matter and of the limited
/ legal force now available TO care for
the vast amount of litigation in
which the government is continuous
| ly engaged, / regard the authority to
appoint special counsel as appro-
pirate legislation"
| Preamble to Resolution.
The preamble to the Walsh resolu-
! tion reads:
Whereas it appears from evidence
| taken by the committee on public
| lands and surveys of the United
naval reserve No. 3. in the state OF
! Wyoming, bearing date April Z, 1922,
/ made in form by the government Of
| the United States through Albert B.
Fall. Secretary of the Interior: and
| Edwin DENLY, Secretary of the Navy,
| as lessor, to the Mammoth Oil Com
| pany, as lessee. and that certain
| contract between the government OF
! the United States and the Pan Amer
/ lean Petroleum and Transport Com
! pany. dated April 25. 1922. signed by
| Edward c. Finney, acting secretary of
| the interior. and Edwin DENLY, Sec
I retary of the Navy. relating. among
| other things, to the construction of
| oil tanks at Pearl Harbor. T. H., and
| that certain lease of naval reserve
i No. / in the state of California, bear
ing date December IL, 1922, made in
| form by the govern'pent Of the United
; States through Albert E. Fall. Sec
| retary Of the Interior. and Edwin
lessor. to the Pan-American Petro-
leum Company. as lessee, were exc
cuted under circumstances indicating
, fraud and corruption; and
! Whereas. The said leases contract
was entered into without authority
| on the part of the officers purporting
| to act in the execution of the same
| for the United States and in viola
| tion of the laws of Congress; and.
Whereas. Such leases and contract
policy of the government adhered to
| through three successive administra-
| tions, to maintain in the ground a
! great reserve supply Of oil adequate
! to the needs of the Navy in any emer-
! gency threatening the national Sc
| curity.'
AT the same time the message was
made public 1t was asserted at the
White House that the President had
received no resignation of cabinet
members and knew of no impending
resignation from members of his Of
fetal family.
The field Of the oil investigation
was further broadened yesterday by
the adoption by the Senate of reso-
luton by Senator La Toilette, re-
publican. Wisconsin. directing the oil
committee to inquire into and report
upon the claims of the Honolulu Con-
solidated Oil Company to oil lands
situated within naval reserve No. 2
in California.
The resolution follows:
Resolved, That the committee on
public lands and surveys make a
thorough investigation and report to
the Senate it's findings and recon-
mendations regarding the claims of
the Honolulu Consolidated Oil Com
pany to oil lands situated within
naval reserve No. 2. including the
conditions surrounding the reversal
by Secretary of the Interior Albert
of the Interior John Barton Payne,
denying the validity of the claims of
the Honolulu Consolidated Oil Com
! pany, and including, also, the validity
of the alleged lease (serial Fisalia
092Os) dated February II, 1922,
signed by l.. c. Finney. first assist
ant secretary of the interior, and
that for the purposes of this investi-
cation the committee is hereby en-
powered to exercise the authority
conferred upon it by s. X. 147."
The debate on the DENLY resolu-
tion was opened yesterday by Sem