Evening star., 1928-03-29
walsh Challenges statements.

| OIL reserves Ol lAlla Ndtluhs
Walsh Challenges Statements.
Senator Walsh sought twice TO inter-
rnpt Robinson, challenging the COR
rcctneSS OF some statements. The sec
ond time after the Indiana Senator had
declared Mr. Walsh was spokesman OF
group h the Democratic administra-
ton seeking To open up the naval oil
reserves to exploitation, Walsh demand
ed the floor on a point OF personal
privilege,
This stopped Senator Robinson un-
der Senate rules. and Walsh called the
attention Of Robinson that the oil legis-
lation referred to pertained to all oil
lands in the public domain rather than
to naval oil reserves,
When the mdianan replied that he
understood that. walsh sought to have
him withdraw his previous statement.
but Robinson declined. Finally, Walsh
announced that he would make no
further interruption and Robinson
could say anything he wants to-"
Il am not questioning the motives
Of the Montana Senator" Robinson
said. but am stating some facts and
I am going to draw my conclusions
from them
AS Robinson concluded. Senator
Walsh took the floor He deplored
,"rancorous political discussion" on the
floor of the Senate. particularly as to
the relative culpability Of the Repub-
lican and Democratic parties IN the oil
scandal"
walsh said he arose to try to
"straiehten out some of the reckless and
wild statements" Of the Indiana Sem
ator. He said the only excuse" could
be that Robinson was not member OF
~etA inVAatiGQ
was under way.
Denies Breach OF Duty"
The Montanan denied that any OF
the Wilson cabinet officers named by
Robinson had any connection with the
oil leases under inquiry. He added
there certainly was no breach OF duty
on the part OF any OF them while in
ONCE or any discredit on them In their
employment with the oil companies
after leaving the cabinet.
Walsh presented letter from I. w.
Grekory. denying that he had ever been
employed by any Of Doheny's oil COM
panies Gregory wrote that he had done
some work for the Island OIL 6 Trans.
fer Co, after leaving the cabinet and
had received $4,000 from that COM
pany for his work in Mexico.
The former Attorney General said
this had been fully set forth in his let
ter to President Coolidge when his ap~
pointment as special oil counsel was
under consideration. He added that this
letter was published widely and that
Senator Robinson's statement was 'un-
true" and that the Senator knew 1t
was untrue when he made 1t or else
made his statement recklessly."
Declaring that 1t was remarkable
that Senator Robinson gave credit for
returning the oil reserve to President
Coolidge, Senator Walsh declared that
CoolidSe had acted in the matter only
at the express direction of the Senate :"
1T was known then that the pur-
pose OF passing the resolution was to
lake the matter out Of the hands Of
the Department Of Justice" he said
adding that Coolidge selected Gregory
and Silss Strawn, a director Of the
Sinclair Bank in Chicago. Both were
rejected by the Senate, but Walsh de-
clared it was not 70 be suggested that
these men would not have prosecuted
the oil cases ably and honestly
Walsh and Probers Confer.
Returning here from Michigan, where
he attended the funeral OF Senator Fer
ris, Senator Walsh OF Montana, prOsecu-
tor IN the Teapot Dome committee IN
quiry. conferred with other committee
men and special investigators with a
view TO carrying on the work of the
committee.
The MontRnan said there were many
leads still 10 be run down and that the
investigation into the disposition Of the
Continental Trading Co.'S Liberty bond
profits would be carried forward until
every possible effort has been exhausted
10 determine who had pronted by the
now celebrated oil deals OF 1871 and
1 1922.
! Asked If he thought II. S. Osler Of
| Toronto, who was president Of the Con-
| tinental. had received the fourth share.
| Senator Walsh said the fact that the
| Canadian attorney got per cent
| commission on all OF the 5000 900 Of
| profits would seem 70 indicate that he
| had not received the fourth share. Thus
/ far there Is no clue as 10 the identity
! Of the person who did.
Z Comments on Blackmer.
Commenting on the resignation Of