Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-21

Of the results accomplished by them.
1t was and now Is the duty Of Con-
gress to jealousy guard the public
domain and Its resources. Its suspicious
led to inquiries disclosing that trusted
Government OfficialS were betraying
their trust and building the most re-
puisive aid crooked trail corruption,
fraud, conspiracy and bribery ever laid
The story OF these oil scandals when
finally written is bound 10 constitute
the blacklist page In all our history.
While the investigations have brought
several of the guilty to the bar Of
justice that bar has not been high
enough to keep them from jumping over
and free Of the penalty Of the law This
the guilty have accomplished by the
aid Of technicalities. expensive lawyers,
expensive and crafty detectives in in
fiuence juries. and the unmerited
prestige so often won by great wealth.
As result Of these court actions have
often remarked at the seeming Inn
possibility in the present era Of con-
victing criminals who have great
wealth to swing into play in their own
defense.
Discouragement at Trials.
Discouraging and disgusting has been
the failure to make Fall, Sinclair,
Stewart and the others suffer the same
penalty and degree Of justice that would
have gone to them had they been men
OF lesser means. But after all. they
have paid dearly. all of them. Fall
would undoubtedly give his very life II
his slate could be wiped clean, as would
Doheny. Sinclair and Stewart have
lost the confidence Of their associates.
One faces term In Jail. The other has
,ost the position at the head Of one Of
our greatest industrial enterprises.
worth more to him no doubt than all
his worldly possessions. And Blackmer
and O'Niell have fled the country. are
lodging their own shadows, men with
out a country because they would not
face the music. Certainly 1t must all
be punishment as severe as would be
long terms in prison.
The Investigations by the Senate are
probably not finished Still effective is
the resolution calling for investigation OF
the frauds alleged involved In the ac-
QUESTION OF areas Of the public domain
In Wyoming known as the Salt Greek
Field by the oil interests whose record
does not erase suspicious. The COM
mittee has delegated the further con-
duct Of this inquiry TO the Department
Of Justice. and much remains to be
done in the way Of investigation bv that
Department or by the committee before
there can be conclusion as to the merit
of the charges which have been made
The value Of recovery Of this field would
put the oil Teapot Dome values to
shame.
The Salt Greek oil field covers an
area Of not more than five by eight
miles. but in this field are over $500
producing oil wells. 1t Is recognized
as one of the richest oil fields known
and this property was leased by the
Government under Secretary Fall. That
there were endless frauds perpetrated
in the scramble for rights in this field
Is well known. but 1t Is possible that
the leasing act OF 1920. assailed as 1t
was at the time of its enactment. may
be the salvation OF those whose fraudu-
lent practices won them the great
resources involved.
No member Of the Senate committee
has any desire to 60 on investigating
for the sake Of investigating. for 1t
has been most trying and cOnfining
work. leaving little or no time for at
tention to other important legislative
matters In which members have q keen
interest. However. am given to feel
that the committee must carry on until
1t has exhausted its subject and salts
fed itself that 1t has fully fulfilled the
duties imposed by the resolution under
which 1t operates. Certainly the COM
mittee should not want to seem to give
clean face to this subject if, as is
possible in after years, 1t Is to be
disclosed that there were gross frauds
practiced which, had they been un-
covered at this time, would have re-
stored to the Government resources
valued far into the millions.
What has been the result Of these
oil investigations which have been so
severely criticized?
Well. first, there has been accom-
plished greater caution In the admin
istration Of the affairs or the public
domain.
Second, there has been an awakening