Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-22
FALLS ATTORNEY
REFERS TO MENACE
Holds National Security"
Runs Through Negotiations
for Oil Contract.

Declaring that national security
runs like thread of gold" through the
Governments negotiations for the Pearl
Harbor oil storage contract, as a re-
suit of which former Secretary of the
Interior Albert F. Fall is being tried
on a bribery charge, the defense today
reSorted again to the reputed menace
of a japanese war scare in 1921 to
bring its final arguments to climax.
Frank j. Hogan, chief of defense
counsel. was in the midst of fiery at
tack on the Governments case when
court recessed for the luncheon period,
as a result of which the case will not
be turned over to the jury before noon
tomorrow.
After placing responsibility for the
Pearl Harbor contract upon the Navy
Department. the defense attorney used
effectively the persuasive appeal of
Rear Admiral John K. Robson, the
then chief of naval engineers, to con-
vince Edward L. Doheny, who gave
Fall 100000 that a threatened war
with Japan made necessary the con-
struction of oil facilities for the fleet
in Hawaii.
Private Funds Served u. S.
Turning toward the jurors, Hogan
declared that the $14,000,000 taken
from the Golfers of a private corpora
ton to serve the purposes of the Gov
eminent afforded their protection
against a war In the Pacific now and
in the future.
Despite the downpour of rain, the de-
PENDANT appeared in the courtroom
shortly before the session convened at
10 o'clock, thereby dispelling rumors
that he would be compelled to remain
in his apartment on account OF the in
clement weather and the ailment that
has affected him since coming to Wash
ingtDn.
The courtroom again was crowded
with spectators, including many promi-
nent officials and attorneys.
Attacks Governments Claim.
Mr.. Hogan, who began the opening
argument for the defense shortly before
court adjourned yesterday resumed this
morning by explaining the indictment
which charges the former cabinet officer
with accepting as bride the 100000
from Doheny to influence his action in
leasing to the California oil man the
Nays reserve in that State.
There never was and I am not so
optimistic as to believe there over will
Hogan said with reference to the in
dictment.
He entered upon sharp attack on
the Government claim of secret nego-
tiations between Fall and Doheny prior
to November 80, 1921, the date OF the
alleged bride taking. These so-called
secret negotiations he termed the "crurI1-
bling foundation" of the Governments
case
The defense attorney argued that
the only way to pay for the expensive
storage facilities at Pearl Harbor was in
the exchange of crude oil for fuel oil.
On the date Fall is said to have accepted
the bride. he told the jury, the Bureau
of Mines, at the direction of the Secre-
tary of the Interior, had been instructed
to send all certificates of crude oil to
the Navy Department. He charged the
Government with unfairneSs in not
producing this documentary evidence.
The order was revoked some days later,
not by Fall, but by Acting Secretary of
the Interior E. G. Finney, he told the
jury, during Falls absence in New
Mexico
He also scored the Government for
not mentioning in its opening argument
the fact that Admiral Robson had OBJ
tanned from the judge advocate gen.
eral of the Navy legal opinion uphold
ing the Pearl Harbor contract policy.
That legal opinion, Hogan said was the
seed" from which grew all plans for
the oil base.
Secrecy Was Ordered.
The matters which Fall and Doheny
were keeping Confidential" as charged
by the Government, the defense attor-
ney declared were based on the Sc
crecy" order involving the Nays war
plans issued by Asst. Secretary OF the
Navy Theodore Roosevelt, jr.
why don't you indict Roosevelt and
line him up, too, in this never-ending
line of men who didn't know how to
serve their Governments" Hogan de-
manded.
Reference to the share of Edwin Den
by In the oil matters brought from the
defense attorney an eulogy of the late
Secretary Of the Navy. He also referred
to Edward L. Doheny, jr., the dead son
Of the oil man
Picturing the perils of yellow war"
and what 1t would mean to the Pacific
Coast, the defense attorney declared
that Robson had appealed TO the oil
man "as the father Of man who had
served on his ship in war" to bid on the
Pearl Harbor work.
"Doheny, sneered at and vilified, was
Just the sort of man to respond to such
an appeal" he declared.
The defense attorney referred to Gov
eminent officials who previously were
willing to let go of the Nays oil re-
serves without regard to national Sc