The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-07
One Message Said To Have Acknowledged Praise
 For Firing Denby
CAUSES HOT DEBATE
 IN SENATE CHAMBER
Other Angles Of Oil Inyestiga- ton Are Thrown Into
 Background
PRESIDENT ENABLED
 TO OPEN TAX BOOKS
New Collection Of Telegrams
 Inspected-PrincipaP Re a. mains Mystery

WASHINGTON, March 6.-Two telegrams from President Coolidge to Edward B. Mclean. caught in the dragnet of the oil committee. stirred up another breath-taking commotion today in official Washington.
 Shortly after the first message had been read before the committee a state ment was issued from the White House declaring it related to a local patron age question in the District of Colum- bia.
 Presentation of the second telegram was followed by two White House statements. At first it was said the message was a response to congratu- latory telegram from Mclean on the Presidents Lincoln Day speech, but . later statement explained that mis- take had been made and that in reality the President was replying to a Me Lean telegram commenting him for not demanding the resignation of Sec retary Denby.
 Later in the day the telegraphic ex- change between the White House anf the Mclean cottage at Palm Beacl became the subject of a fiery debats in the Senate, with Republican Leade1 Lodge defending the President agains, a scorcbing attack from the democratic side of the chamber.
 Other Moves In Background
 The effect of the whole development was to throw into shadow number of other important moves in the oi' inquiry, including an announcement b. government counsel that civil actiof to annul the Sinclair and Doheny leases would begin next week and criminai proceedings would follow shortly.
 Injunction suits to prevent furtheg removal of oil from the Teapot Doms and Elk Hill reserves, the special coun- sel announced, would be filed in thr federal courts in Wyoming and Califo- mia and hearing on the motion gige5' by the Wyoming court at Cheyenne o5 March 13. Annullment of the lease will be asked for on ground of frau, and illegality," and q special federa grand jury will be impaneIed iIerF about April T, 10 consider crimins featOres of the oil disclosures. While action on the nomination. os Samuel Knight to be special counse in the recovery suit against the Stand ard Oil company of California, was be- ing delayed in the Senate. the Whit House made public correspondence showing that Mir. Knight had informed Washington before his selection tha. he never had been employed by an oil company. His confirmation will b opposed on the ground of oil connec- tions.
 Declines To Grant Request
 President Coolidge also informed tn Senate he could not under the law grari it's request that the income tax returns of principals in the oil scandal be turn ed over to the oil committee but safe he would be glad to comply if lega technicalities were removed. Tn, Senate promptly passed an enablins resolution and sent to the White Houss
 The Senate adopted without debats a resolution requesting President Cool idge to direct the treasury to permit the oil committee to inspect tax re turns of corporations in connection with investigation of oil concerns.
 The resolution was the same as thai with which the President earlier in tho day had declined to comply with cx- cept that it would "authorize inspec- tion" of the returns instead of turning those reports over to the committee.
 Discuss Walsh's Authority
 Among the telegrams laid before thc committee At 1CS DuDilc session wa one from Chairman Lenroot to Al bert B. Fall at Palm Beach. teIlin, him in response to an inquiry tha; there had been no intention to ep- power Senator Walsh, the chief prose cutor of the committee, to question Fall at the time he went to Florida to examine Mclean. In a previous of- ficial telegram to Mclean. the chair. man had said that Walsh had author ity to summon such witnesses as h. desired.
 Another telegram was signed by Chief Doorkeeper McKenna at th White House and informed Mclean on December 9 that Secretary Slemp was leaving that night for the south.
 There was also an exchange show ing that Mclean had sought to get into touch with Bernard M. Baruch os New York, while still another tele- gram exchanged by two Mclean em- ployes made a mysterious reference t, Senator Jim" Senator James E. Watson of Indiana issued statement saying it could not have referred to him.
 Admits Code Use
 Several more of those employed by Mclean, including W. o. Duckstein. referred to as the Duck" in some Of the messages, were placed on tho stand during the session. Ducksteir told of the Mary" messages received
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