The Colorado statesman., 1924-02-02
RESIGNATION OF
DENBY ASKED
SENATE RESOLUTION DEMANDS
ANNULMENT OF NAVY
OIL LEASES
VOTE TO VOID LEASES
BITTER FIGHT WAGED IN EFFORT
TO GUST SECRETARY
OF NAVY


Washlngton.-The resolution demand
Ing the resignation of Secretary Den
by was taken up by the Senate after
1t had passed unanimously the Walsh
resolution proposing annulment of the
Sinclair and Doheny oil leases.
The Walsh resolution directs the
President to proceed with suits to an
null the leases.
Final action was taken after all eff
forts to modify the language of the
resolution, so as to eliminate direct
charges that the leases were entered
into without authority and in violation
of the law had been voted down.
The vote was unanimous on the final
roll call. lightweight senators cast
their ballots.
Washington.-The Walsh oil lease
annulment resolution, as adopted by
the Senate, follows
whereas, 1t appears from evidence
taken by the committee on public
lands and surveys of the United States
Senate that certain lease of naval re-
serve No. 3 in the state of Wyoming,
bearing date of April Z, 1922, made in
form by the government of the United
States, through Albert b. Fall, secre-
tary of the interior, and Edwin DENLY,
secretary of the navy, as lessor, to the
Mammoth Oil Company, as lessee, and
that certain contract between the gov
ernment of the United States and the
Pan-American Petroleum and Trans
port Company, dated April %, 1922,
signed by Edward Q. Finney, acting
secretary of the navy, relating among
other things, to the construction of oil
tanks at Pearl Harbor, L. H., and that
certain lease of naval reserve No. in
the state of California, bearing date
Dec. IL, 1922, made in form by the
government of the United States
through Albert Il. FALL secretary of
the interior, and Edwin DENLY, secre-
tary of the navy, as lessor, to the PAN
American Petroleum Company as les
see, were executed under circumstan-
ces indicating fraud and corruption;
and,
"Whereas, the said leases and con-
tract were entered into without au-
thority on the part of the officers pur-
porting to act in the execution of the
same for the United States and in
violation of the laws of Congress; and
"Whereas, such leases and contract
were made in defiance of the settled
policy of the government adhered to
through three successive administra-
tions, to maintain in the ground a
great reserve supply of oil adequate
to the needs of the navy in any emer-
gency threatening the national secur-
ity:
"Resolved, by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United
States of America, in Congress as
sembled, that the said leases and con-
tract are against the public interest,
and that the lands embraced therein
should be recovered and held for the
purpose to which they We're dedicated;
and
"Resolved, further, that the Presi-
dent of the United States be, and he
hereby is, authorized and directed i'm
mediately to cause suit to be insti-
tuted and prosecuted for the annul-
ment and cancellation of the said
leases and contract and all contracts,
incidental or supplemental thereto, to
enjoin the further extraction of Oil
from said reserves under said leases
or from the territory covered by the
same, to secure any further apprOpri-
ate relief, and to prosecute such other
actions or proceedings, civil and Grim
inal, as may be warranted by the
facts in relation to the making of the
said leases and contract.
"And the President is further au-
thorized and directed to appoint, by
and with the advice and consent of
the Senate, special counsel who shall
have charge and control of the prose
cution of such litigation, anything in
the statutes touching the powers of
the attorney general or the Depart
ment of Justice to the contrary not
withstanding."