The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-15
Senate Investigators Of Oil Lease Scandal
 On New Trail
PUBLISHER MILAN
 TO BE QUESTIONED
Silas H. Strawn As Prosecutor Withdrawn By Coolidge And
 POmerene May Also Go
OBJECTION TO BOTH 2. MEN FOUND IN SENATE
Vanderlip To Testify On Friday Concerning Statement About
 Sale Of Harding Paper

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-(By As sociated Press. )-Out of another day of lightning developments in the oil scandal there emerged, tonight defi- mite determination by the investigating committee to go to the bottom of a rumor that a $1,0O00O0 oil slush fund had been deposited in Washington for distribution among men in high places.
 Edward B. Mclean, publisher of the Washington Post, was summoned for questioning regarding the slush fund report, and committee members said Otto H. Kahn, of Kahn, Leob and company, and Benjamin F. Yoakum, re- tired president of a western railroad, would be called later.
 Information reaching the committee was that the story had been subject of discussion among New York finan- ciers, and that some of it's details had been brought to Washington by Mir. Yoakum after he had talked to MT. Kahn.
 Strawn Withdrawn
 The oil committee continued to hold out tonight against the approval of Silas H. Strawn and Atlee Pomerene as general counsel in the oil cases, and after being advised of this, President Coolidge withdrew the Strawn nomina- tion. He took the position, however, that no conclusive evidence of MT. Pomerene's ineligibility had been pro- duced.
 Throughout the days hearing, Frank A. Vanderlip, the New York banker, waited in vain in the hearing room to be called to the witness stand for questioning regarding his recent re- ferences to the sale of President Hard- ings Marion Star. He and other wit nesses on the same subject will be heard tomorrow.
 The testimony given during the long session related largely to the methods by which former interior secretary Fall put into operation his leasing policy and provided the investigators with several new sensations.
 John C. Shaffer, publisher of the Chicago Post. and several other news papers, testified that Fall told him in the same month he entered the tahiret that he would lease Teapot Deme ga Harry F. Sinclair-s He hinsself, Ait. Shaffer said. got a onesefgbrh stare of the $1 ,000,0 that Sinclair paid the Pioneer Oil company in connection paid in connection with the Teapot deal.
 Private Negotiations By Fall
 F. C. Finney, assistant secretary 0t the interior, testified that .le Fla leases were negotiated privately, anu that not even the departments own solicitor was asked for an opinion as to their legality.
 A letter written before the contracts were signed by H.. Foster Bain, direc- tor of the bureau of mines, saying he understood Attorney General Daugherty had given an informal and verbaF' opinion upholding the leasing policy, was put into the committee record.
 As result, the committe authorized q search of the files of the department of justice. Mir. Daugherty has said he never gave an opinion on the sub- ject.
 Proposal Illegal
 Oscar Sutro, general counsel for the Standard Oil company, of California, pany a formal written opinion against the legality of the proposal, after wards translated into contracts with the Doheny interests, to exchange naval fuel oil for tankage at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It was disclosed that this opinion had been transmitted to the interior department.
 In announcing the issuance of a subpoena for Mir. Lean, who is in Palm Beach, Senator Walsh, Democrat. Montana, said the committee desired to question the publisher not only with reference to rumors of the mill lion dollar slush fund, but also as to the $100,000 which he first said he had loaned MT. Fall, but which he later testified had been returned to him in uncashed checks.
 The subpoena was telegraphed to Palm Beach and MT. Mclean is ex- pected to come to Washington within a few days. When he was summoned six weeks ago his physicians notified the committee that his health would not permit him to come here, and Sen ator Walsh took his statement at the Florida resort. Tonight no service on the new subpoena had been returned.
 Vanderlip Much Interested f
 While the three witnesses were be- ing questioned today by the committee, Frank A. >Vanderlip followed the pro- ceedings with intense interest. Arriv-
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