Evening star., 1928-12-13
13EXPERTS ADVISED
SINCLAIR RENEWAL,
WORK TELLS GROUP
Legal and Technical Officers
Concurred in Salt Creek Ac-
ton, Ex-Secretary Says.
READS PRINTED REVIEW
TO LAND COMMITTEE
Memorandum Shows Department
of Justice Was Asked Last April
q for Opinion on Contract.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Hubert Work told the Senate land
committee today that he had renewed
the Sinclair contract for Salt Greek
royalty oil while he was Secretary OF
the Interior upon the advice of four
officials appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate and nine other
legal and technical experts of the gov
ernment.
Work. now chairman of the Republl-
can national committee, was summoned
as a principal witness to discuss the
Salt Greek contract, recently nullltled
on advice of the Department of JUS
tice. in connection with the committees
consideration of the nomination of Roy
0. West of Chicago to be Secretary OF
Interior. West, himself, was before the
committee at two sessions yesterday and
testified that his connection with the
contract was routine and that he had
submitted it to the Department of JUS
tice upon the advice of his assistants.
Appears With Statement.
Mr.. Work, who resigned to manage
the campaign of Herbert Hoover, ap-
peared before the committee with a
seven-page printed statement about the
Sinclair contract.
Before the renewals were made" the
statement read. 1.-The executive officers
of the department carefully construed
the law. having in view all the facts
and the complete data of the case, and
recommended renewals. The Depart
ment of Justice later invalidated the
original contracts of sale which, OF
course, nlllified the renewal of said
contracts. In this respect conflict of
legal opinion developed between the law
officers of the two departments"
At the suggestion of Senator Walsh
Democrat, Montana. Mr.. Work read his
long statement, which gave chrono-
logical history of all facts in the case.
IAN the facts and details relating to
the renewal of oil contracts or leases
made during my administration or prior
thereto" he said, ARE of record and
available to TINS committee"
In connection with the renewal OF
the Salt Greek purchasing contract and
the Cat Greek contract May J.. say that
both of these contracts for sale of the
governments royalty oil were awarded
before ! became Secretary of Interior,
Both contracts contained renewa.
clauses. 81
Matters Covered Eight Months.
"The record shows that unusual at
tC.ltion was given to this matter cover
ing a period of more than eight months
following the notification by the Sinclair
Crude Oil Purchasing Co. on June z,
1927, that it elected to exercise its right
to renew under the original contract,
several objectOrS being invited several
times orally and in writing to submit
any facts showing illegality or fraud.
The record further shows that copies OF
all papers relating to the original DID
were furnished to the special Govern
ment counsel in the oil suits, MeSSrs.
Pomerene and Roberts. and to the
Emergency Fleet Corporation in 1924.
Copies of records were also furnlsned
to the protestants and on March ~,
1928, to the chairman of the public
lands committee of the Senate.
1.-The Secretary of the Interior In the
determination of questions like this
must depend upon the permanent ex-
pert legal and technical forces provided
for him by Congress in this instance,
the action of the department taken in
line of duty only. by and upon the ad-
vice of four officials appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Senate,
and nine other legal and technical ex-
perts of the General Land Office, the
Geological Survey and the office of the
solicitor. The matter involves no
irregularity or concealment i'll the re-
newal, on the part OF any officials OF
the Interior Department, but is solely
a difference of opinion in the construlnS
of the original contract and the law.
Il have here chronological record
Continued on Page 3, Column 4)