The Washington times., 1924-02-18
SENATORS HALT
OIL PROBE
SESSION
Cancel Meeting Called at
Night Going Over Data
Found in Books.

ing scandal. which include the is
suance Of subpoenas for number
Of New York stock brokers, plans
for the Senate Public Lands. Com
mittee to hold a meeting this after
noon for further examination Of
witnesses were suddenly cancelled
this morning.
Considerable mystery was at
tached to the decision. The new
subpoenas were decided upon last
night, simultaneously with a trip
to the White House by Senator
Lenroot Rep), Of Wisconsin, chair
man of the investigating commit
tee, and ex-senator Pomerene, one
of the special Government counsel
that will seek the recovery Of the
oil lands, which Albert B. Fall
leased to Sinclair and Doheny in
terests.
Announced by LenrOOt.
1t was stated after this midnight
conference that the committee would
meet this afternoon at o'clock,
but apparently this decision was
changed later, for Senator Lenroot
announced this morning that there
would be no meeting. Whether
there would be one tomorrow or
later this week, Lenroot declined
to say. It was indicated that this
would depend upon developments in
the next forty-eight hours.
Later it developed that members
OF the committee planned to hold
what they described as IAN infor-
NAL meeting" this afternoon behind
closed doors. to go over the reports
of some of the accountants who
have been examining the books
and records Of stock transaction in
number Of brokerage houses.
Greatest secrecy prevailed at the
Capitol regarding the subpoenas and
examination Of the stock brokers
and Harry Payne Whitney. Len.
root fatty refused to discuss the
question.
Wheeler Demands Action.
Senator Wheeler, who was in the
weekend conferences, insisted that
the brokers would be examined
Immediately. He declared that their
books would reveal that high Gov
Ornamental officials profited heavily
1 IN U6hlS IN OH SlOCk8s
Other members Of the committee
said that the information regarding
the stock transactions had been in
! the hands of Senator Walsh for
some time, and that they under
stood the committee planned to
utilize the recess period to go over
the records so that the brokers
| could be called to the stand and
cross-examined about the stock
deals when Walsh returned.
Daugherty Faces Protest.
simultaneously and significantly,
Senator Wheeler served notice he
would press for action today on
his resolution demanding an investi-
cation Of the official acts Of Attor-
ney General Harry M. Daugherty.
Reports were laid before the com.
mittee that the Smathers brokerage
house handled accounts of high
governmental workers who deal in
oil stocks.
This comedies with previous in
formation that Federal officers won
heavily in oil stock during the pc.
riod that negotiations were being
conducted by ex-SecretAry Of In
terror Albert B. Fall to lease Tea
POT Dome to the Mammoth Oil
Company, Sinclair subsidiary
formed to operate the lease.
Light On Slush Fund.
Bright light also was expected to
be shed upon reports Of q 81 900, 900
''slush" fund sent from New York
to make up losses of Federal Off
GERS in subsequent stock transac-
tons.
Other developments over the
weekend came fast and furious.
Attorneys for E. B. Mclean,
wealthy Washington and Cincinnati
publisher, conferred with members
of the investigating committee and
were understood to have impaired
sensational information. They also
assured the committee that Mclean
was ready to be Of all possible as
sistance. The committee indicated
that Mclean himself would be asked
to take the stand shortly.
1t was also learned that all plans
are in readiness for the Federal
Government to make the first def
mite move in the courts to recover
the rich naval reserve oil lands
leased by Fall to Doheny and Sin.
clair.
Injunction Suit Near.
The initial step contemplated is
the filing Of an injunction suit ia
prevent the further extraction of oil
from the reserves, demanded in the
! Walsh resolution passed by Con-
gress and signed by President Cool.
idge.
Presentation Of evidence to a spe.
| ND 4VVwry
Ing toward recovery of the reserves,
will follow almost Immediately. 1t
was said.
Action in the courts awaits only
the confirmation by the Senate Of
Owen J. Roberts, Of Philadelphia,
as special counsel to- act jointly
with Pomerene in handling the suits
for the Government.
Confirmation of Roberts was pre-.
dicted today, despite the announce.
ment Of Senator La Toilette (Rep.)
of Wisconsin and q handful of
insurgents and Democrats that they
would bitterly contest the nomina.
| ton.
Administration Senators have as.
sured President Coolidge they have
| mustered sufficient strength to beat
down the antagonisn to Roberts.
Basis Of Opposition.
Opposition was directed to Roberts
not only because certain Senators
felt he has insufficient experience
with land law, but because of a
speech he made in New York a
year ago, in which he attacked
what he described q move toward
Naturalization Of industry,
During the speech, made at the