Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-29

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-With
President Coolidge personally urg-
i-g it on, to whatever bitter end it
may reach, the Teapot Dome scan
dal investigation Saturday night
reached the brink OF definite action
which, within short time, may put
il into the criminal or civil courts
o. both.
Executive and legislative branches
Of the government concentrated Sat
urday as they have not done since
tie days OF the famous Ballinger
Pinchot controversy for two-fold
object.
Ito get all the facts.
30 right whatever wrong has
been done. and punish any who are
guilty.
Unless later testimony, amply sup
ported by convincing proof, shall
change the situation, it is practical
ly certain that congress will go on
record emphatically for abrogatton
of The leases of the naval oil reserves
which Albert B. Fall, former secre-
tary of the interior, gave to +. l..
Doheny, and Harry f. Sinclair.
Doheny holds leases on two reserves
in California and Sinclair holds Tea
pot Dome.
Cancellation Offered
The senate public lands committee
after an executive session declded
to report to the senate Monday an
offer by E. l.. Doheny to cancel his
leases upon a request from congress,
on the sole condition that the gov
eminent reimburse him for money
actuallv spent on construction ana
development work.
Doheny made this offer to the
committee through his counsei,
amending a previous offer to cancer
the leases if a committee of experts
appointed by the president. recon-
mend that.
The senate committee Will report
Doheny's offer without comment or
recommendation, for the senate 10
act on as it sees fit. 1t is belleVeu
certain to be accepted by the senate
The long awaited climax of the
case, the testimony of FAN himself
concerning the $135, 900 which wit
nesses have testified he got from
Doheny and from j w. Zevely,
Sinclair's men, was deferred until
Tuesday at the earliest, when Fan S
physical condition was reported TO
make it impossible for him to
testify Monday, as scheduled before
the senate public lands committee.
The committee, notified that Fail
was very weak as the result of an
attack of bronchitis, which had at
fected his heart, postponed his APP
pearance until Tuesday. Fall is at
Zevelys home here.
Fall early Saturday night was re-
ported to be resting comfortably,
and to be about the same" as he
was this morning, when DR.. John
Wharton, his physician, reported
Falls condition worse than Fri
day"
Saturdays developments almost
tumbled over each other, so that it
was difficult for the deeply inter
ested government officials and mem
bers of congress to keep track OF
them.
Washington Is DaZed
SO fast have disclosures Of false
hood come that official Washington
is dazed.
Cabinet members are detected over
the blight which the scandal has put
upon what WAS DlIu6IIO dIl III
blemished American page.
The determination of the admins
tration to rid itself, if possible, Of
the stigma of scandal attaching to
the leases and to Falls receipt of
large sums from the men to whom
he gave leases was evidenced when
President Coolidge let it be known
early today that he had ordered
Secretary of the Interior Work to
find out Immediately whether the
leases on the naval reserves are
legal.
If they are not, Mr.. Coolidge said.
they will be annulled at once. Sec
rotary Work Immediately instruct
ed the departments solicitor to ex-
anime the leases.
The house swung into action on
the case, when Representative Gar
rett, the Democratic leader, intro
duced two resolutions, directing
President Coolidge to take i'm
mediate legal action to cancel the
Teapot Dome and Doheny leases.
CARROTS resolutions. introduced
after a conference with Senator
Walsh. Montana, leader in the SEN
ate's investigation, specifically ex-
Continued on Page 6, Column A