Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17
THOMAS ATTACKS
HOOVER OIL POLICY.
Program Termed "NuI|ifica-
ton" by Colorado Demo-
cratic Senator.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.


President Hovers declaration that
"the people of the West do not OBJ
ject to the Administrations newly an
nounced oil-conservation policy Is BIT
terly challenged by former United
States Senator Charles S. Thomas OF
Colorado. Mr.. Thomas, a former gov
ernor of the Centennial State and an
influential member of the Senate pub
lie lands committee while In Congress.
foreshadows that the public-domain
States of the West will challenge the
legality of the Presidents program Of
stopping permits to prospect for petro-
letm. Incidentally, the Coloradan as
serts, the Hoover oil policy is bound TO
promote the long -smoldering move
ment for State ownership Of the public
domains beyond the Mississippi. At
present, Texas is the only State In the
Union which controls its public lands
When admitted to the Union at the end
of the Tyler administration Texas re-
tanned proprietorship Of her public do
main and has remained unique IN that
respect.
VIII Jar Prosperity.
"Mr. Hoover's new land policy" said
Mr.. Thomas In an interview with this
prosperity now enjoyed by the public
domain States. But 1t vii Jar it con-
siderably. One cannot say with &C
curacy how many wells are being sunk,
how many roads are building, or how
much machinery Is being utilized in the
development of oil permits. One may
assert with confidence that a small
army of men Is steadily employed on
this work at good wages. Their jobs
will cease Automatically, with little
prospect Of other Jobs. Neither they
nor their employers will derive much
comfort from the reflection that the
ruin Of their modest prospecting COM
panies will benefit the going oil con-
is to be hoped that they will. chal-
lenge the legality and the justice OF
the Presidents policy Of notification, Tor
which the only presidents know OF
come from Mexico. It will only tend
ton increase the sentiment for state
ownership of the public domain
mean by the individual States in which
lands are located-and crystalline that
sentiment into solid non-partisan or
ganization. the disregard of the writ
ten law donated by the new oi-lease
program will have at least one most
valuable consequence
Explanation OF Potlcy,
what do you mean by the Presi-
dents policy OF notification y? Senator
Thomas was asked.
Just this" he replied. 1.-THE leasing
act of 1920 was the result OF over three
years Of constant legislative effort to
solve the problems caused by President
Tafts executive orders of 1909. These
were the orders which withdrew the OIL
bearing portions of the public domain
from location and entry under the
mining laws. On the one hand the in
terests of citizens were vested repre-
senting millions of dollars. On the
other was the need for the establish
ment by law of a fixed governmental
policy for the operation and develop
ment of the public oil lands. The act
of 1920 was a series of compromises
satisfactory to nobody, but accepted o.
the sole alternative TO the INDEFINITE
continuance of the status quo 1t at any
rate provided a method both Tor the
relief of locaters and for the future
development of the industry on basis
Of profit to the Government, to the
States containing the oil fields, to the
contiguous communities and to the
operators.
Thine has thus far justified the en-
actment of the 1920 law. Thousands
of permits have been issued annually
and in their development many millions
of dollars have been expended. Some
of these permits have proved profitable.
The Majority of them has not, but the
capital modified has been a source OF
untold benefit to the laborers and ma
terial employed. and to the communi-
ties in which the money has been dis
bursed. Royalties from the productive
leases have poured a steady stream OF
revenue into the national and State
treasures. In one State. at least, the
operation of the Federal leasing act has
been the principal source OF It's pros
perity. It has been capably and sue
cessfully administered by the Interior
Department. whose regulations have |
been uniformly observed by lessees and |
their subordinates."
The writer suggested to Senator
Thomas that the interest OF the aver
age citizen In Mr.. Hoover's proclaimed |
oil policy Is the assurance that there |
will be no more Teapot Dome scandals |
What about that phase OF it?" the |
Coloradan was asked.
Law Innocent Of Abuses.
"The President surely knows" he re-
piled, that the law which he has sup
pressed Is innocent of the Navy reserve
abuses. The naval reserves were leased
by the authority of the rider to the
Navy act of June 90. 1920, dealing with
them exclusively. The leasing act ex-
pressly excludes all reserves from Its
jurisdiction This was done upon the
insistence of Secretary Daniels, who
was also the author of the Navy bill
rider. The executive repeal of the leas-
ing act would seem to be vicarious
punishment of those operating under
it for the misconduct of the men who
conspired to secure control of the naval
reserves under a different statute"
Mr.. Thomas Is not impressed by
President Hoovers argument that
drastic measures of oil conservation are
the need of the hour. The leasing