The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1927-01-07
DOHENY INTERESTED In new DRIVE TO
ACQUIRE CONCESSIONS WORTH MILLIONS
OFDOLLARS FROM FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

By MARX LEWIS, Federated Press.
Washington (FP)-A new drive to
deprive othe Federal government of
mineral rights worth approximately
$50O,0O0,000 has just been begun, an
appeal to members of Congress writ
ten by the American Mining Con-
gress, an organization of rich mine
owners, disclosed today.
Edward L. Dohney, first vice-pres-
ident of the organization, who has
just succeeded in obtaining a verdict
of acquittal for his participation in
the oil leasing scandal, is one Of the
most interested parties in the drive.
The appeal to members of Congress
came in the form of a letter and
resolution adopted by the American
Mining Congress convention held last
week in Washington. The resolution
requests the United States to re-
lease to any State or territory all
right, title and interest of the United
States to the mineral rights the Fed
eral government has reserved in the
land it has granted to states for the
those states. 1t urges the support
of bill now pending in the House,
and already approved by the Senate,
relinquishing those rights to the
states.
1t is stated by the Secretary of
the Interior that the future potential
value of minerals in the sections af-
fected by the bill would total from
S25O,OOO,O00 to $5OO,OOO,OOO.
The pretext upon which the rights
to the mineral resources are sought
to be transferred from the Federal
government to the States is that the
money derived from them would be
employed for educational purposes
The mere surface rights of much Of
the lands granted to the States are
of little or no value, the mining in
terests declare, unless the minera
rights go with them.
In opposing the proposed measure
Secretary Work made it known. tina
there are now various funds anC
grants from which the states can de
rive funds for educational purposes
The policy must be decided by Con
gress, he declares, but he calls atten
ton to the ruination that would b
worked if instead of being subiec
. to uniform policy such as the Fed
eral government can lay down, thes
rights were left '1ocal views or ind
vldual caprices," as would happen
States could dispose of the miners
E resources to private interests.
= eff" he says, call lands and re
= sources are turned over to the State
e as is proposed in one of the penC
: ing bills, ''it would mean the end {
f Federal reclamation and of FEEDER;
= conservation. If turned over to tt
extent of the minerals in scho,
a sections, as proposed in other bill
|, it would mean a partial terminate
+ of these policies.
{ coil and gas are necessities in e
. cry day use, and all are interested
: maintaining a sufficient and unifor
( supply at reasonable prices. Whet
u er these resources should be waste
= or retained, conserved, and develop
for the general good under the pc
cies already adopted is a question
- Congress to decide"
4 The drive to place the resourc
N into the hands Of states is conced
n to be an opening wedge in turnil
u them over to private interests. Wi
q the interest the the oil scandals
y last year provoked, action throu
Federal agencies would be more d
ficult of attainment, as Federal of
Gals are likely at watch their ste
for while, no matter what the eve
tual outcome of the various prosec
~ tons begun against individuals W
| participated in them and to can
the oil leases.
That Dohney might be one of
If principal beneficiaries of the new
he devised plan of acquiring more of
at rapidly diminishing mineral resour
a is an additional reason why Fede
IS officials may be slow to act, mi
IS slower than they would have been
NJ few years ago, before the oil scand
ON developed.