The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-30
PAPER DEFENDS
PRINTING SHALE
STEAL STORIES
Editorial in New York
World Strikes Back at
Hoover Criticism.

IN United Press
NEW YORK, oct. 30.-The New
York World, in its leading editorial
today, defended its publication Of
a. series Of articles by Ralph S.
Kelley which President Hoover had
described as reckless, baaeless and
Infamous"
Kelley, formally discharged
Wednesday by Interior Secretary
Wilbur as chief Of the western
division Of the land office, had
charged his superiors with malad-
ministration Of government oil shale
lands.
The World has no hesitation in
meeting the Presidents challenge
directed against its part in pub
fishing the articles the editorial
said. THE World believes it has
performed responsibly and properly
one Of the functions of a free news
paper"
The editorial went on the describe
how Kelley had approached the
newspaper, told his story and said
that he was unable to get a proper
hearing from his superiors. He felt
1t his duty, the World said, to re-
sign and tell his story publicly.
hoping thereby to induce congress
TO investigate.
Followed Proper Ethics
The newspaper said that it fol-
lowed proper journalistic ethics in
investigating Kelley to learn if there
was good reason to believe that
he knew what he was talking
about" whether he was acting in
good faith" and whether "the OBJ
lect to be achieved by publication
Of his articles was desirable in
public interest"
Proceeding with its investigation.
the World said it found in the pub
lie records a report to the interior
secretary by G. A. Obenchain, super
visor, who was sent to investigate
The work Of Kelley's office.
This report mentioned the zeal,
displayed by Kelley and his subord-
mates "in their effort to obtain all
shale land possible for the govern
ment, which frequently has i'm
PEELED them to assume the attitude
Of partisan prosecutor against shale
claimants"
Denies Partisan Motives
We concluded that a government
servant against whom nothing worse
could be charged by his opponents
than that he had too much zeal iii
holding on to the public property
was entitled to present his case to
the American people," the World
said.
The Presidents imputation of
partisan Democratic motives are
quite unjustihed," it added, point
ing out that the paper at the pres
emit time severely is criticising the
Democratic candidate for Governor
in New York and supporting the
Republican candidate for senator in
New Jersey. 1t also has been active,
it said, in supporting almost the
whole Of the Presidents foreign pol
ICY"
Finney Deciding Mind
one of the main reasons why
the world did not try to establish
the truth of Kelley's charges by
making inquiries at the interior de-
partment. the editorial said, was
because Edward c. Finney, solicitor
of the department, who figured in
the oil lease cases during the
Harding administration, "is the de-
Gliding mind in Washington today
on these oil-shale properties"
Not even the President of the
United States can make us believe
We should have consulted Mr.. Fin
ney before publishing these ar
ticles," the World said. 1--WE pre-
ferred to consult, and in fact did
order than Mr.. Finney, Repub-
lican OF indubitable disinterested-
ness.
No Apology to Make
The world has no apology to
make for its part in this matter.
Mr.. Kelley is available for any in
vestigation congress cares to make.
IF he is wrong in his conten-
tons, let a public investigation
under oath with all the documents
at hand, prove him wrong.
IF he is right. he can not be
dismissed by brandishing at him
the hasty report Of a subordinate
official, or crushed by angry ana
thema from the White House"