Evening star., 1924-02-11
COOLIDGE CONFERS
WITH PARTY CHIEFS
AS SENATE NEARS
DENNY CUSTER VOTE
(continued from First PageD

bill" replied the Missouri senator.
Another interruption from the re-
publican side came from Senator Nor
ris. Nebraska. who said the policy
of the government was designed to
deal with an emergency.
Nobody claims the offset wells
we're not necessary" said Senator
Nsrris. but the leases provide for
taking all oil from the reserves"
What l want to emphasize" said
Senator Spencer. lis that we instruct
cd the Secretary to store the OIL
God stored il in the ground: the only
action he could possibly conceive un-
der this language was to store II
above the ground"
Senator Robinson asked why the
speaker omitted the very significant
instruction IN the law to conserve.
Il emphasized that at first, SEN,
ator Spencer said. but the power un-
der controversy is that to develop,
lease store and exchange, and l am
now dwelling upon it
sers Only One Criticism.
IF the purpose of the law is clear.
the only criticism of Mr.. DENLY is
that he allowed the transfer of such
duties. I do not believe he had any
right to make that transfer, or that
the executive had any such right. But
the reason for it is obvious. The In
terror Department had about nineteen
million acres of public lands already
in charge and it seemed logical that
it could better supervise these.
But that question is in doubt. ]
would not he surprised If court held
there was such authority.
Couzenx Defends Navy HenJ.
Senator Couzens, republican, Michi-
gan, also opposed the resolution on
the ground that reasonable doubt ex-
listed as to whether Secretary DENLY
J{d not have fnll aIfhOrifv for the
leases
indicate a doubt by the Secretary
that he had such authority" said Sen.
letter had a bearing, 1t Is not 80 stat
ed in the law"
The Michigan senator said he con-
sidered it even improper for the
time of the Senate to be taken up
with this resolution"
Reviews War Record.
In closing Senator Couzens reviewed
resolution be not voted on until Sec
rotary DENLY has ali the rights
guaranteed to all citizens.
The action of the Senate if it
passed the resolution would he most
remarkable and unwarranted," he de-
clared land the country Will lose
confidence in any senator who sup
ports it,.
Urges Placing Responsibility.
Delivering his first address of this
SESSION, Senator La Toilette of Wis
consin. leader of the republican in
oil inquiry resolution, declared that
not only Secretary DENLY but Prnsi-
dent Coolidge and Attorney General
Daugherty must bear their share OF
responsibility.
ALBERT 3. Fall must bear the re-
sponsibility for his conduct" Sena-
tor La Toilette said, but he must
not be made the scapeEoat. so that
others may be- allowed to wade re-
sponsibility for what they have done.
Mr.. DENLY must be held to strict
responsibility and accountability. He
knew ex-Secretary Fall we'll. He
KNEW the latter's record with regard
to conservation. Falls record in the
Senate was one of consistent oppo-
sition to and contempt for all con-
Eseryation legislation. DENLY knew
It will be recalled that DENLY in
addition to turning over the Navy
/ oil reserves to Fall, also turned over
to him the naval coal reserves In
Alaska.
i when he did this he knew and
must have known that it was Fairs
purpose and desire to Immediately
transfer these reserves to private H.
terests for private exploitation.
says ne YVES AW8kc OA EVhCSs
$50 also the President must bear
his full share of responsibility. He
was aware of the policy of both DENLY
and Fall in dealing with the naval
| oil reserves and other public prop
erty long before the present lnVeSt1-
CATION called public attention to their
conduct.
when I introduced the oil resoIu-
tion the Vice President, now the
President, was in the chair. When
that resolution was called up for dis
cussion and the whole subject thor
oughly gone into on April %, 1922,
| the Vice President, Mr.. Coolidge, now
the President, was in the chair and
heard the discussion. At that time
the revelations were foreshadowed
which have since been publicly made.
$50 that President Coolidge, long
before he became President, was
given notice that the evidence was at
hand to show political corruption in
the leasing of the naval oil reserves.
And SO also Attorney General
Daugherty, of Morse pardon fame,
who has never raised a hand to pro-
tect the public interest in these mat
ters.
With his hordes of assistants, with
his inspectors and detectives and
secret service agents, he has reveal
ed no fact to assist in bringing out
the truth respecting the naval oil
reserve leases and has done no act
looking toward the punishment Of
those who apparently committed
grave crimes III the contamination OF
savSS to