The Delta independent., 1924-05-16
500 OF NAVAL OIL RESERVE NO.
2 WAS PRIVATELY OWNED


Teapot Dome naval reserve. Because
oil is one of the greatest industries
of his state, Representative Winter is
i familiar with the problem and the
facts. In a recent speech in the House
of Repre- sentatiyes he disclosed some
very startling information regarding
the conditions of the naval oil reserves
found them. Representative Winter
said, in part, as follows:
voted for the resolution to appoint
special counsel to bring a court action
to test the validity Of the leases on
naval reserve No. in California, and
No. 8, the Teapot Dome, in Wyoming:
and the prosecution of any and all
wrongdoers in that connection. These
matters both as to criminal and civil
issues are now where they should be,
in the courts of the land.
We might well, having taken the
action to secure a decision by the
courts, cease discussion of these
things in Congress and give our at.
tention to the legislation the people
/ al z ltl udy ny udV we
witness eX parte Investigations and
partisan attacks in the hope of affect
ing the national trend in the great
political battle about to ensue. No word
of proof has been uttered, no evidence
has been adduced against any official
in spite of all these attempts, indicat
ing moral turpitude or bribery, except
/ frNcr fhn civ l.
Searchers. inQuirers, and the newspa-
pers have raked and scraped the entire
area, and nothing more has been found
against any agent of the government
And yet gentlemen on the Democratic
side are willing and apparently anxi-
GUS to continue the making of charges,
intimations, covered attacks, insinu.
ating the making of profits out of
these leases, and, indeed, in criminal
participation by other officials con-
nected with the Naval and Interior de-
lpartments.
| Public or Navy Not Being Robbed
l say plainly and without hesitation.
because all the facts should be known
and intelligent and fair Judgment ar
rived at, that so far as these leases
are concerned, the naval oil reserves
of the nation, Nos. / and 8, in Cali.
fornia and Wyoming have not been
| given away" the country has not lost
them" or the oil in them; there was no
''wanton waste of $1,000, 900, 900 worth
of OIL" the public domain has not been
| looted" the people of this country
have not been deprived of the means
Of national defense;" the navy is not
without adequate oil for navy fuel to
meet any war emergency" and would
not be, and will not be, if these leases
continue in operation.
Naval reserve No. 2 in California
was the first of the three naval reserv-
es to be opened to leases to private
persons or corporations, and that was
done entirely under the administration
of Mr.. Wilson and under the then
Secretary of the Navy, Daniels, and
Payne of the Interior department
am not criticizing them for doing 1t.
My position is that they are forced to
do it to protect the interests of the
government; it was not only their
right but it was their duty to save
the nation from loss Of its oil But I
am criticizing those who criticized
their successors for doing the same
things in the interest of the navy and
the nations defense.
Denby Found so Per Cent of Naval
Reserve Privately Owned
The time had come, and it was alb
solutely inevitable when the policy of
conserving the naval reserve oil under
the ground had to be changed to con-
serve it upon the ground, and there
was no other course open. Private
wells were draining the oil out from
under this naval Reserve No. 2, OF
which l am now speaking Daniels
realized it. The fact OF drainage and
loss Of naval oil was an inescapable
fact as to each Of the reserves, not
only No. but in their turn No ! and
No. the Teapot Dome. OF No. 1
and No. 3 I will speak presently, in
their order. The fact of drainage of
No. was unquestloned It was stated
and seen and recognized Sixty and
four-tenths per cent Of the area of
reserve no. 2 was then privately own.
ed; 20.5 per cent was placed under
the Jurisdiction of the Secretary of
the Interior by the general leasing
act of February 25, 1920; 1O1 per cent
only came under the Jurisdiction of the
Secretary OF the Navy. Manfestly,
present or future drainage in increas-
ing quantities was inevitable. Daniels
thereupon asked for and received from
Congress. because Of the absolute ne
cessity in protection of the govern.
ment, broad powers from Congress.
The act Of June 4, 1920, was an
amendment to the original leasing act
of February OK loon ,1,he,,,,L -. -