Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-07

Sharp division Of opinion has resulted
from the denunciation by President
Hoover of the charges in which Ralph 8:
KELLEY attacked the awards Of shale Oh
land by the Interior Department. Sub
stantial support is offered for the Presi-
dents position, but many predictions
are made that a congressional investiga-
ton Is inevitable.
"a sickening dud" is seen by the
Chicago Daily News independently IN
the transparent attempt to fasten on
the Hoover administration an oil shale
land scandal comparable to Teapot
Dome" That paper believes that the
investigation by the Federal Department
of Justice completely diSprovee the
charges and iIlsinuations brought by
Ralph S. Kelley against the Department
of the Interior, its present official head
and his immediate predecessor"
1.-THE American people viii sympa-
thize with the Presidents indignation
over the matter" says the Los Angeles
Express (Republican), agreeing that
"the unsupported charge reflects more
upon those making it than upon Secre-
tary Wilbur" The New York Times
independently calls the accusation "nl
founded and inconclusive," while the
Madison Wisconsin State Journal (inde-
pendent) is convinced that president
Hoover's declaration will probably END
further comment on the approval OF the
leases" and the Lincoln State Journal
(independent Republican, holds that
''the matter was delayed so that it could
be broken Just at the height OF politi-
cal campaign" The Duluth Herald Gin
dependent Republican, views 1t as "a
campaign roorback, created some time
ago and nurSed along" The Jersey City
journal Republican independently OBJ
serves "a new Hoover" In the t1re the
President displayed"
cat any rate, the public is delight
ed" according to the st. Louis Times
Republican,, Ito know that the Presi-
dent has been particularly jealous IN
safeguarding the natural resources in
oil, and that the country Is spared an
other scandal If we must and do criti-
cize public officials, we should do so for
the public veal only and without spleen.
And in fairness we must commend them
when their work is good. AS Mr.. Hoover
points out, even our partisanship or
eagerness cannot lead us into base
methods. We must condemn, but we
also must praise. In this instance the
need goes to the President himself"
y
"It appears that Mr.. Kelley's conclu-
sions were not we'll founded in many
respects, and in any case were contin-
gent upon what might be done In the
future" declares the Rock Island Argus
independently, and the Flint Daily Jour-
nal independently notes that "the mat
ter seems to be dismissed as unworthy
of serious consideration" The Cincin-
natl Times-Star Qepublican) advises
that "the finding will surprise no one
who read the charges when they were
published a month ago." and repeats
its statement that the Kelley outburst
was a 'brainstorm' The San Ber-
nardino Sun (Republican) offers as part
of the record: Mr.. Kelley approved
most of the leases but objected to
some leases on technical grounds. When
his objections failed to receive the APP
prevail of his superiors in washington,
his big expose followed" The Harris
burg Telegraph Republican, thinks
mfr. Hoover was fully justified in dis
playing his righteous Indignation"
THE Department of Justice" it Is
pointed out by the Philadelphia Eve
ming Bulletin independent Republican,,
has found no flaw In any action of the
Department Of the Interior involved in
these accusations. In fact, the graya-
men Of the charges made, so far as they
are Of substance, lies against the pre-
ceding administration rather than this
BY the Presidents own orders, there
have been no titles or leases of Gov
eminent lands passed under the new
law. And the proceedings in question
in their sum total are ofminor conse-
quence
only an investigation by adisinter-
ested aaencys In the Judgment Of the
Fort Worth Record Telegram Oemo-
cratic) "can separate the possih1e or
probable political propaganda from the
truth" That paper sees the nesa OF