Evening star., 1924-01-23

ing and selling of public property
for corrupt and private benefit, and
| do not know how any self-re-
whatever steps may be offered at the
first opportunity to go as far as we
can to stamp our disapproval OF this
transaction. and order the return of
what may be left of the oil to the
custody of the government and ask
an accounting for all the oil taken
out Of the public domain"
Senator Caraway was Interrupted in
his speech by the arrival of the eX-
ecutive clerk from President Coolidge
democrat. Arizona, asked that the
message be read at once, as IL might
contain AN announcements from the
President that he had directed the At
torney General TO take action. Sena-
tor Caraway replied that there was
no possibility of that.
Visit to Mclean.
Referring to Falls visit to Edward
b Mclean at Palm Beach, Senator
Caraway declared that the publ ,her
never asked Fall" to come there.
but he just got in and STAYED
previous charge that Fall stands in
Jicted of treason at the bar of pub
lie opinion.
Every drop Of government oil re-
u.
this man Fall has transferred TO
two oil spectators one named Sin
clair and the other named Doheny.
Senator Caraway argued that the
Arrangements made with Sinclair and
L. l.. Doheny for the erection of
storage tankage had the effect of
constituting them agents of the gov
ernment to spend the public funds.
This arrangement had been approved
also by Secretary DENLY. he said,
although all parties to it must have
known that it was an unlawful act.
IF Congress right to cancel those
leases Is questioned" he said. you
will get into court quick enough,
because as soon as Harry F. Sim
clair gets over his scare he will come
back to defend his loot"
Charges Second Contract.
Caraway charged that Fall had
leased the richest oil lands in the
world" to the Standard Oil Company
| at an 'ex parte hearing" He went on
| to say. the claim was made that near
by oil reserves were being drained.
and SO a contract was made with
Doheny for the drilling of defensive
wells" Another company came in,
he said, and claimed that ii had
rights, with a result that il got eight
of the twenty-one wells covered in
the contract.
This all turned out to be a con-
tract to exploit the Elk Hill. fields"
declared the senator, referring to the
two naval oil reserves in California.
Senators Mckellar. democrat. of
Tennessee and King, democrat. of
Utah suggested that since the leases
were approved by Mr. DENLY he
ator Caraway said he did not think
Congress should ask for his resigna-
tion, but that if he We're chargeable
with an offense ie would favor i'm
peaching him through the regular
channels"
Senator Lenroot, republican. Wis
consin, chairman of the investigat
ing committee, opposed adoption of
the Caraway resolution on the
ground that 1T would halt the inquiry
IF it is the purpose OF the reso-
luton to indicate a lack of conf
dence in the committee. / would say
nothing" he said, "but if it is in
tended to charge {. lack Of diligence
on the part of the committee
l call the attention of the senator
| from Arkansas to the fact that all
the evidence to which he has referred
was brought out by this same COM
mittee since his resolution was in
troduced."
The committee would be unjustified
Chairman Lenroot insisted, had it re-
ported out the Caraway resolution
Eat the present stage Of the Inquiry"
THE questions involved are many
and serious" he added. "They en-
brace. for instance. the authority for
making these leases, the necessity
and, finally, whether they were legal
in the form and method of execu-
ton"
Plans New Resolution.
The Wisconsin senator said the
committees work had been directed
as much into the leasing of reserve
No. 1 in California to Z. l. Doheny
as that of No. 3 to Sinclair.
"Yet. and for some unknown rea-
son." he said. 'ithis resolution men
tions only the Sinclair lease"
Senator Caraway at once interrupt.
cd to say that another resolution had
been prepared to provide for revoca-
tion of the remaining leases.
Sin that case," continued Mr.. Len
root, II have only to suggest that
senators on both sides confer with
members of the committee, ascertain
the real status of the inquiry as it
now rests, and thus enable them
selves to vote intelligently on the
IN,