Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-22
Hoover's Oil Policy Critic
Replies to Col. Requa

TO the EDITOR OF Inc star.
Interviews have just appeared in your
columns between the undersigned and
Mr.. Mark L. Requa and your contrib
| utor, Frederic william Vile. on the
subject of President Hoover's oil-con-
servation policy. Col Requa's criticism
of my contention that the President has
set aside the leasing act of 1920 is most
| gratifying, because 1t attracts public at
| tentlOn to the controversy. / made the
| statement that Mr.. Hoover's order,
| transmitted through the Department of
the Interior to subordinate officials, to
accept no more applications for oil per-
mits or leases on the public domain
was tantamount to the repeal of the
leasing act. Notification would have
| been more accurate statement. l do
not perceive anything In Col. Requa S
rejoindsr which refutes the assertion
On the contrary, he lauds a con-
tribution of Mr.. Hoover upon oil con-
servation to the meeting of the Amer
| lean Petroleum Institute in 1920, which
at more recent gathering advocated
congressional legislation upon the SUBJ
ject. He also commends President Cool
idge's appointment of the Federal Oil
Conservation Board In 1924 to my con-
sideration. / have been reasonably
familiar with these incidents since they
occurred, and have found no fault with
them. But they are wholly beside my
wisely avoids His position is, If un-
derstand it, that because oil conserva-
ton Is desirable the Executive is justi-
fed in overriding a Federal statute
which does not so provide. I asserted,
and Col. Requa cannot deny. that the
leasing act confers upon all citizens the
right 10 apply for oil leases or permits
upon the public domain which the de-
partment may grant or refuse at dis
cretion, and that because of this dis
cretionary power the President has by
executive order forbidden the receipt Of
all applications thereafter rendered for
fling His rejoinder is that oil conserva-
ton is a good thing, so why shouldn't
he?
He also emphasizes the fact that in
January. 1927 eminent committees Of
geological authorities urgently appealed
to President Coolidge to make a thor
ough inquiry into the need for conserv-
ing our supply Of all minerals, which
includes virtually everything from gold
to feldspar But If Mr.. Hoovers new
policy is correct. why the need for this
investigation? Col. Requa, as the Pres
idents guide, philosopher and friend
needs only to advise him to broaden
this policy by suspending. repeating or
multiplying, call 1t what you will, all the
Federal mining statutes. forbid prospect
ing for or locating mining claims upon
unappropriated public lands, and the
trick is turned.
He might go farther and minimize
agricultural oyerproduction BY giving
the air" to the homestead law, thus de-
priving our people of the right to ac-
quire farm lands by occupation All
these laws embody discretionary power
Of administration which I understand
to supply the key to the new policy.
Then there are other departments and
departmental laws to which the new
pruning knife might also be applied
with equally direct results. The Presi-
dent needs, of course. to assure the
public that his conduct is inspired by
the principle of conservation. That. in
deed, is word to conjure with. Even
law enforcement must bow to its all
prevailing potency. c. S. THOMAS.