The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-06-09
HUGHES ACTS
AS AGENT FOR
STANDARD OIL
Letters of State Dept.
Bare His Activities
(By Federated Press

WASHINGTON, June S-Sen-
ate Document 81, 6Sth Congress,
list session, entitled "OiI conces-
sions in foreign countries" is at
last printed, after many weeks
of delay from the time the State
Department disclosed its oil cor
respondence at the demand of
the Senate. 1t affords evidence
that the State Department has
been as active in getting profit
able new territory for Standard
Oil and Sinclair and Doheny as
was Albert Fall or Edwin DENLY.
There are II papers dealing
with oil in Burma, II papers in
the correspondence on Mesopo-
tamian oil, IL as to Palestine oil.
IL as to oil in the DUTCH Easss
Indies, and % as to oil id Persia.
Hughes Mexican Deals.
Mr.. Hughes denies that he has had
any diplomatic correspondence deal
ing with oil concessions in Mexico.
Venezuela, Costa RIGA, Argentina.
Czechoslovakia or the Portuguese col
onies. The frankness of Hughes as
to the work of his department may be
judged by his stateemnt as to Mexico.
Most of the letters written by
Hughes and the British diplomats and
foreign ministers deal with the world
wide struggle between Standard Oil
and the Royal Dutch Shell, which is
alleged by Standard to be financially
controlled by the British government.
The British foreign office denies this
ownership or control, and Hughes
cannot prove it.
Here is a typical letter from George
Harvey, ambassador in London. to
Lord Curzon, dated Sept. 10, 1921:
Interceding for Standard.
The American ambassador pre-
sents his compliments to his males
tvs secretary Of state for forelan
affairs and has the honor to refer to
conversations held In March and
April, 1920, between Sir John RILEY
Of the foreign office and Mr.. Wright,
counsel of the embassy. and a
conference on the 9Th instance, ar
ranged by Mr.. Lindsay Of the for
eign office, at which were present
| Mr.. Schuckburgh and Major Young
OF the foreign office; Mr.. L. 4.
Thomas Of the Standard OIL COM
pany and Mr.. Wright, all relative
to the desire Of the Standard OIL of
New York that representatives of
that company now in Jerusalem be
permitted to continue geological ex-
aminations Of the areas covered by
their rights or concessions In Pal
estine, which examinations were
commenced prior to the outbreak Of
the war in 1914.
Harvey Urged Haste.
"ln accordance with telearaphic
instructions just received from his
| government, Mr.. Harvey now has
the honor 10 reiterate this re-
quest.
Accordingly, MIR. Thomas, who is
In London for short time only but
who will be compelled to leave
within few days on account Of
urgent business, holds himself In
readiness to cooperate with the
authorities Of his majesty's govern
ment and with the embassy to such
ends, and adds TO the request OF the
department Of state his earnest hope
that an early decision may be
reached by his maIesty's govern
ment, In view Of the fact that tho
rainy season in Palestine COM
mences about Dec. I, and that delay
which might compel postponement
OF operations until next spring
would increase the Inconvenience
and expense already Incurred by the
company"
The British played for time. but
finally gave Standard what Hughes
and Harvey demanded In its behalf