The Washington times., 1924-02-16
FALL LED FIGHT
FOR WAR ON
MEXICO
Won Fame as Senator by.Hi
Furious Onslaught on
Wilson Policy.
By International News Service.

BY International News Service.
Albert Bacon Fall, former Secre-
tary Of the Interior in the Harding
Cabinet, who leased the rich Elk
Hills. California, and Teapot Dome.
Wyoming. naval oil reserve lands to
q. L. Doheny and Harry F. Sinclair,
respectively. first gained national
prominence when, al Senator from
New Mexico. he led the bitter as
sault In the Senate upon the late
Woodrow Wilson's Mexican policy.
In one OF the most dramatic
speeches ever delivered in the Sen
ate, FAN, who had valuable mine
and oil holdings in the southern Re.
public, demanded on March 8, 1914,
armed invasion by the United States
into Mexico to protect American in.
terests.
Made Passionate Plea.
The Senate sat enthralled through
out his passionate plea, portraying
reign Of terror In Mexico that had
resulted in the destruction Of mil
lions Of dollars of American prop
erty. he said.
1.-THE Administration owes 1t to
the people, the world and to Mexico
to act forcefully and speedily to re-
store order and tranquility in the
Mexican republic" Fail shouted.
Urging the immediate use Of the
army and navy to assist In wiping
out ''outrages upon American lives
and properties" Fall said:
II realize, and on one more fully
than /, the consequences which
might ensue from taking the neces-
sary steps to discharge the duties
to which / have referred. But to
defer that action is to aggravate
conditions and invite more serious
consequences"
Speech Raised Storm.
Falls speech raised a storm in
the Senate. A committee was dele
gated to investigate Mexican condi.
tons. Fall was made chairman.
His work as chairman of that
committee ELECTED from Doheny, in
testimony in the oil investigation
the statement that Fall had per-
formed one Of the greatest services
m history to the American people. -
Doheny is the largest American In
weston in Mexican oil properties and
for forty years has been a warm
personal friend of the former
Secretary.
Fall has had a romantic career,
typical of those who early ventured
into the Southwest in search Of
wealth. He was born in F'rankfolV,
KY. on November 20, 1861. He
attended country schools for a while
but at an early age was forced
to work and journeyed to the
Southwest, first working on a
cattle ranch, later becoming q min
Ing prospector.
Long Knew DOheny.
It was while prospecting in MexI-
20 and in the then Territory Of
New Mexico that Fall met Doheny.
AZ the years went by fate smiled
kindly upon Doheny, but in Falls
quest for riches the goal always
was just beyond the horizon. He
acquired extensive holdings in
Mexico and New Mexico, but his
ventures never were an enormously
profitable as those Of his friends.
Doheny drifted to California, Fall
returned to a ranch in New Mexico,
where he held numerous public
offices before coming to Washing
ton, being elected to the Senate by
tie legislature on March q, 1912.
He remained continuously in the
Senate until called to the Cabinet
by the late President Harding.
During the Spanish.Anerican war
Fall rose to the captaincy of Com
Iany H, first territorial volunteer
infantry. Fall was a close friend
of Theodore Roosevelt, who, after
the war, appointed him attorney.
general Of New Mexico.
Falls political career was varied.
lie began as a Democrat, changed
to a Progressive to support Rose
welt, but came to the Senate as O
Republican.
In the Senate Fail, an able orator,
was recognized as one of the lead.
ing authorities on International law.
lie learned law by self-instruction
and gained considerable prominence
when practising between 1889 and
1904.