Evening star., 1924-02-11
Course to Be Followed if
Resignation Demand Is
Adopted Discussed by
President With Aides.
NAVY HEADS FOES SURE
OF VICTORY LATE TODAY
Debate Grows Bitter as Hour for
Action Nears-Spencer Declares
Secretary Acted in Good Faith in
Leasing of Naval Oil Reserves.

Secretary Weeks, after a lunch-
ron conference with President
Coolidge. during which they dis
cussed the Robinson resolution re-
auestinx the President to nsk for
the resignation Of Secretary Dem
by, made this statement:
$50 far as 1 know. the cabinet
will remain intact
With growing bitterness. the Senate
debate on the resolution asking for
the resignation of Secretary Denby
entered today upon its final stage.
The attack OH Secretary DENLY for
his part in the leasing of the oil
reserves was the subject of much con-
sultation today among administration
officials.
Facing a probability that the Sem
ate would adopt before tonight a
resolution asking that the Navy Sec
rotary resign from the cabinet, Sem
ators Lodge and Curtis, the republic.
can Senate leaders. visited the White
House and talked over the whole sit
uation with the President.
Later Secretary Weeks, for years a
close friend of Mr.. DENLY. had a
luncheon conference with Mr.: Cool
the subject Saturday with Mr.. DENLY,
also was consulted during the day by
Secretary Slemp.
The only statement authorized at
the White House was that no action
relative to Mr.. Denby's connection
with the oil leases would he taken
prior to action by the Senate on the
Robinson resolution now before it.
What would follow adoption Of the
resolution was a question mite
Heretofore. officials have held that
the Senate, in requesting the resigna-
tion of a cabinet member, would e
acting without authority. The power
of Congress in such matters. they
have maintained, is limited to i'm
parchment.
Spencer Opens Debate.
= The resolution pending before the
Senate when it reconvened today was
that of Senator Robinson of Arkan-
sas, the democratic leader, asking
President Coolidge to request Secre-
1ary DENLY to resign. A substitute,
merely expressing an opinion that
his resignation would serve the pub
lie interest. had been presented by
Senator Jones, republican, Wash
ington-
Opening the final day of debate.
Senator Spencer, republican, Mis-
scuri, opposed the Robinson resolu-
tion on the ground that it was quasi
judicial decision upon an uncomplet-
ed inquiry" and grossly unfair to the
secretary.
THE whole matter still is in the
hands of our committee" he said,
'and no formal report of any sort has
been had from it.
There has been not the slightest
evidence of corruption on the part of
Mr.. DENLY, or, in fact. any evidence
that he had any knowledge OF an
illegal action. The whole basis for
this resolution is that he misinter-
acted"
Analyses Law Involved.
Analyzing the act of June 4. 1920.
which gave the Navy authority over
the oil reserves, Senator Spencer said
it might easily be Interpreted as Civ
ing the Secretary the power to ex-
tract the oil.
"You cannot develop an oil field
except by taking out the oil,' he said
Nor can you use the contents with
out bringing the oil to the surface.
stated, to develop by lease or con-
tract as he saw fit, and then went
further and added or otherwise"
Senator Harreld, republican, of
Oklahoma, asked if he did not think
the purpose was to restrict this
authority to time when oil was
needed.
"There's nothing of the sort in the
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