Evening star., 1927-11-04
OIL CASE SUPPLIES
FUEL FOR POLITICS
New Trial Will Be Going on
While Leaders Discuss
Candidates.
BY DAVID LAWREN(E.

The political world--and, Of course,
mostly the Democrats--still stands
amazed that the Sinclair-F'all trial
and, indeed, all the other phases Of
the oil lease scandal never seem to
have a political effect.
Again and again leading Democrats
refer to the disclosures and wonder
why they haven't been able to derive
political advantage out Of the mess.
Wasn't Albert B. Fall a Republican
Senator, and did he not sit as Secre.
tary OF the Interior in Republican
cabinet? The same question was
asked when President Coolidge came
into power. and efforts were made in
the 1924 campaign 10 convince the
electorate that Mr.. Coolidge, as Vice
President, sat in the same cabinet
with Mr.. Fall. But the argument did
not succeed, because it was assumed
that Mr.. Coolidge was not responsible
for administrative tasks, and, besides,
he ordered the Department Of Justice
to prosecute the cases vigorously and
did succeed in getting verdicts through
special counsel that were favorable to
the Government.
Charges Shocked Officials.
The Democrats are beginning to
stances will not be :omewhat changed
in 1928, for at the time Mr. Coolidge
ran In 1924 there was a disposition to
regard him as a newcomer and as
worthy of a chance to make his own
record unembarrassed by that Of his
predecessor.
The Fall.Sinclair trial now has been
postponed till January. Presuma bly, it
Will drag on through the Winter
months. the publicity given to it being
such as to command attention at the
very time that the politicians will be
gathering ammunition for the fray.
The jury tampering was in itself q
shock to all officials, but the air is
full OF rumors that here and there
some one In authority was mixed up
with the Fall.Sinclair side In a friend.
~ and sympathetic way.
The Democrats are pursuing the
rumors and IL there is anything to
substantiate them the opportunity Is
open for congressional investigation.
Senator Burton Wheeler Of Montana,
Democrat. has not forgotten how the
Department Of Justice prosecuted
or as he phrases 1t, "persecuted"--
him for his part In attacking the
former head Of the department, Harry
NJ. Daugherty, and he will be ready
to ferret out any evidence that will
tend to show sympathy with the for.
mer Secretary Of the Interior.
Will Push Prosecution.
The Oil tease scandal occurred under
the Republican administration-this
fact the Democrats will not let the
public forget, and the Fall.Sinclair
trial will aid them in keeping the sub.
ject alive in the early months Of 1928.
The Coolidge administration is pre-.
pared to inquire into any iireguiarity
that might even remotely he fasten.
ed on the Government side for failing
to take proper precautions in handling
the jury or in other circumstances Of
the case.
There 10 considerable surprise ex.
pressed In different quarters here that
the Government should have allowed
the case to go to trial without lock.
ing up the jury. It is safe assump.
tion that the next jury will be locked
up. incidentally the publicity already
given to the merits Of the case
through previous decisions Of the
courts will make it difficult to get
II persons who have not already been
pfejudiced one way or the other by
the newspaper reports Of the trial and
the jury tampering. But this is the
worry Of Messrs Sinclair and Fall.
tCopyright. 1927,