The Washington times., 1924-02-13
COOLIDGE BACK,
|. PLEASED WITH
RESULTS
General Opinion of Leaders Is,
However, Denby Will Have
to Quit His Post.
By GEORGE r. HOLMES.
international News Service.


President Coolidge returned to the
White House today highly pleased
| with the results of his New York
trip-his initial venture into the
| field Of political speech-making away
from the capital.
Especially gratifying to the Presi.
dent and to his political advisers
was the manner in which the an
nouncement of the Administrator 8
position in the Teapot Dome 8 anda4
was received. No part Of his speech
was more applauded, nor heard with
greater evidences of approval, than
| that part in which he said:
"It is my duty to extend to every
| Individual the constitutional right
to the presumption Of innocence
until proven guilty
want no hue and cry, no mingling
Of innocent and guilty in unthink-
ing condemnation, no confusion OF
mere questions Of law with Ques-
tions of fraud and corruption >
There will be immediate, adequate,
unshrinking prosecution, criminal
and civil, to punish the guilty and
protect the national interest"
Reference to DENLY.
The sharp distinction drawn by
the President between "mere Ques-
tions of law and questions Of
fraud and corruption" was in
terpreted as a direct reference to
the case of Secretary Of the Navy
DENLY.
The President takes the position
that while Secretary DENLY may
have exceeded his authority under
the law in transferring the naval
oil lands to the Interior Depart
ment, there has been no evidence
of anything corrupt, and he served
plain notice he does not intend to
permit his naval chief to be pilloried
without judicial procedure.
While pressure for Secretary
| Denby's immediate resignation has
been considerably lessened in the
| face of the Presidents firm stand,
it Is nevertheless believed by Ad-
| ministration leaders and Mr.. Cool
idge's advisers that 1t is only a
question of time before the naval
secretary will be compelled to re-
tire-not because of wrong doing.
but because once the Government
| goes into court to recover the oil
lands, Denby's position becomes un.
tenable.
Right. HIS Contention.
Secretary DENLY contends he had
the right to transfer these lands
under the law; he contends the con-
tracts are beneficial to the Gov
ernment, and finally he publicly
stated a week ago that IL he were
doing it all again he would follow
precisely the same course he dId
follow.
The special counsel appointed by
the President will represent the
administration and in a sense will
represent President Coolidge per-
sonally. Secretary DENLY also rep
resents the administration, and the
Presidents official family.
This would become an intolerable
situation, it was pointed out by ad-
ministration leaders today. Lawyers
for Sinclair and Doheny might well
ask whether the special counsel or
the Cabinet member represented thE
Government.
But there will be no haste about
Secretary Denby's retirement. He
will remain in the Cabinet until
every vestige of the "hue and cry"
referred to by the President had
disappeared. Then, it Is expected,
he will quietly retire, his record
clear, and convicted of nothing more
than a difference with his chief on
a question of policy.