Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-27
B0RAH ASKS DELAY
ON OIL LEASE BILL
Senator Would Investigate
Fraud Charges Before
President Signs.

Senator Borah Yesterday asked
President Coolidge to withhold execu-
tive approval of the Indian oil leasing
bill now awaiting his signature. pend
ing VerificatiOn of charges received by
the Idaho Senator from persons in
Utah, Idaho and New Mexico who al
lege the bill is tailSed with fra ud
favors small groups of claiminats un-
der illegal permits and unfairly ex-
Guides others from securing leases of
immensely valua bic oil reserves in In
dian lands covered by the mea sure.
Senator Borah is not ready himself
to sponsor these charges. but de.
clared that r. true they warranted
presidential veto of the bill and
thorough investigation by Congress of
circumstances attending its passage
through the House and Senate. He
said that the protesters asserted the
measure had been engineered
through Congress for the special and
exclusive benefit of small group
claiming equity under permits issued
By Albert =. Fail, former Secretary of
the Interior.
Proof Of these charges has been re-
ouested by BOrah Such informa ton
as he receives he proposes to submit
TO Mr.. Coolidge. together with such
recommendation as he decides the
facts warrant. As yet he has lnsu-
tuted no direct investigation of the
matter. and declines 70 disclose the
names of those who have sought to
enlist his aid in preventing the bill
from becoming law.
Pending Several Years.
Measures to lesaiize oil-leas sing per
mits issued by former Secretary Fail
upon so-called executive order un-
allotted Indian lands. which Attorney
General Stone subsequently ruled
we're not open to lease, have been
pending in Congress several years.
In the form In which the bill finally
passed the Senate on June & and the
House on June IS il had the APP
prevail of Secretary of the Interior
Work. the Bureau OF Indian Affairs,
representatives of the Indians. VINO
had previously protested against tax
features of the bill. and which were
changed to conform TO their views:
majority of the House Indian Affairs
committee and all but one member OF
the Senate Indian Affairs committee.
The dissenter on the Senate com
the measure too narrowly restricted
the class of persons who would be
entitled to obtain leases. Senator La
Toilette and others alleged that in
this respect bill was too broad and
would authorize lease permits to per-
sons who had slight claim.
1t passed both branches without a
record vote. Opponents in the House
voiced the same general charges
which Senator Borah proposes TO slit.
II authorizes the Secretary of the In
terror to issue lease permits to any
of the Fall lease permittees or to any
claimants who filed applications but
failed to secure permits who can show
that actual money was expended or
contributions made to funds so eX-
and road building. as we'll as actual
oil digging. on Indian lands under
color of claim.
Denied BY Mr.. SmoOt.
Senator Smoot said yesterday that
any charge that the bill was tainted
with fraud or collision was without
foundation. He had no knowledge
of Senator Borahs action or of any
prospective investigation. The only
objection or criticism he had received
came from those who had hoped to
benefit by the legislation hut failed
to come within it's terms, he said.
Senator Walsh of Montana, chief
prosecutor in the oil.frauds investisa
ton. declared that in supporting the
bill he had relied on the assurances of
his Democratic colleagues on the In
dian affairs committee that 1t was
proper and necessary legislation. He
kneW of no basis for any charge of