The Washington times., 1924-02-02
TEXT OF FALL s
STATEMENT To
SENATORS
Declares Committee Is Ex-
ceeding Powers Under Orig
inaI Probe Resolution:

Falls statement to the COMMITTEES
follows:
IT decline to answer the question
for the following reasons and on the
following grounds:
"The committee Ia conducting an
Investigation under Senate resolu
ton 2S2, agreed to April 81, 1922. in
the sixty-seventh Congress, and Sen.
ate resolution 294, agreed to May is,
1922, in the sama Congress, and fur.
ther by virtue Of Senate resolution
434, agreed to by the Senate on Feb.
ruary S, 1923. during the same Con.
gresg, and I do not consider that,
acting under these resolutions, or
under the aforementioned resolution,
which authorizes the committee to
sit after the expiration Of the Sixty.
seventh Congress until the assem-.
bling of the Sixty-eighth Congress
and until otherwise ordered by the
Senate, this committee has any au.
thority to conduct the investigation
now attempted to be conducted by
the addressing Of this question to
me.
Declines to Answer.
II decline to answer on the fur.
Their ground that on January Z. 1924,
Senator Caraway introduced in the
Senate Of the United States in this
Congress Senate joint resolution No.
So, attempting to deal with the lease
Of the Mammoth Oil Company: that
that resolution was referred to this
COMMITTEE, and in due course the
Senate discharged this committee
as Of January "a, 1924, and the Sen.
ate thereafter, on January 81, 1924,
agreed to that resolution and COM
pleted its consideration thereof, the
resolution being 81 amended us to
be dealt with in the Senate in a pie
nary way with the leases upon naval
oil reserves which were before this
committee under Senate resolution
No. 282 and Senate resolution No.
249, and that this committee has
further authority to deal with Sen.
ate Joint resolution, No. "a. since it
has been discharged by the Senate
and the Senate itself has finally
acted upon the resolution.
ASNe~S~@A~S
at decline to answer on the fur
ther ground that Senate Joint reso-
luton No. 81. as passed unanimously
by the Senate recites that 1t appears
from evidence taken by this COM
mittee that certain lease of naval
reserve No. in the State of Wyo-
ming, bearing date April z, 1922,
made in form by the Government OF
the United States through myself,
Albert B. Fall, Secretary Of the In
terror and Edwin DENLY, Secretary
Of the Navy, as leasor and certain
lease Of naval reserve No. In the
State Of California bearing date
December IL, 1922, made in form
by the Government of the United
States through myself. Albert B.
Fall, Secretary Of the Interior and
Edwin DENLY, Secretary Of the
Navy, as leaSor were executed
under circumstances, indicating
fraud and corruption
Cites Personal Grounds.
THAT said leases were entered
into without authority on the part
Of the officers purporting to act in
the execution Of the same for the
United States and in violation of
of the laws Of Congress; and that
In the same resolution 1t is resolved
that the President Of the United
States be authorized and directed
Immediately to cause suit to be in
stituted and prosecuted for the an
nulment and cancellation of the
leases, and to prosecute such other
actions and proceedings, civil and
criminal as may be warranted by the
facts in relation to the making Of
said leases, and the President is
further authorized and directed to
appoint special counsel to have
charge and control of the prosecu-
ton of such litigation, and decline
to answer on the ground that my
answer may tend to incriminate
me.
Respects the Committee.
"In declining to answer and in
stating these reasons, wish to ex.
press full respect for the committee
and for the Senate, but to remind
the committee that on October 20
and "a, last, while this committee
was sitting in recess Of Congress
and dealing with Senate resolution
2S2 and Senate resolution 294. 1 ap.
peared before the committee and
discussed at length the negotiations
Of the leases, including the lease Of
April Is, 1922, signed by Edwin c.
Finney, Acting Secretary Of the In
terror, and Edwin DENLY, Secretary
Of the Navy, relating to construc-
ton Of oil tanks at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii; and thereafter was pre-.
pared to appear again before the
committee; but since the Senate of
the United States has passed the
Senate resolution 81, that action be-
ing concurred in by the House of
Representatives, and the Congress
Of the United States has adjudi-
Gated, by that resolution its, find
ing that the leases were executed
under circumstances indicating
fraud and corruption, and has. di.
rected the President Of the United
States to prosecute such proceed.
ings, civil and criminal, as may be
warranted by the facts in the max
ing Of the said leases, I decline
further to answer any question Of
this committee on the ground that
1t may tend to incriminate me, and
on the further ground first above
stated"
WHOLE CHURCH At ITS