Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-13

Great public interest has been aroused
in charges made by Ralph S. Kelley,
of the Denver division of the Federal
land ONCE, that there has been favorit-
ism in the handling of public tracts
containing oil shale. AS the South
Bend Tribune independent Republic
CAM observes, "any charge having oil
lands as its basis Is inherently Sensa-
tional since the Teapot Dome scandals, +"
and 1t is assumed that there will be an
immediate and thorough investigation.
While asserting that the charges
seem incredible" the st. Louis Globe
Democrat independently states that
these lands hold an enormous reserve
supply of oil which one day will be of
very great value. and it is not at all
unlikely that some of the great oil
companies have had speculative eye
upon them" This paper points out,
however, that in the oil shale lands in
Colorado, mo method has yet been
found of extracting this oil that would
be commercially profitable in competi-
ton with the oil now obtained from
wells at small cost
There is entirely too much bandying
of slanderouS charges and reports In
this country" declares the Pasadena
Star-NewS tRepublican), holding that
Secretary of the Interior Wilbur quite
rightly insists that Ralph S. Kelley pre-
sent proof as to his charges" The
Richmond News Leader independent
Democratic) concludes: ''On shale, thus
far. is not exploited. Oil produced
from it is too costly to compete at pres
ent with gushers. Perhaps the new
methods of producing gasoline from
coal may render the shale lands worth
less and refute all MIR. Kelley'S pre-
dictions. But why gamble when the
law, properly enforced, establishes every
Just title without plundering what Is
left of the public DOMAINE"
The Birmingham News (Democratic),
in review of the matter, argues: Mr..
Kelley held an office of considerable
importance under the Interior Depart
ment. He is presumably well informed
on the subject on which he speaks, and
one would hardly suppose that he would
speak very recklesSly about SO mpor-
tant a matter. If he has any political
connections they were not made known
in the dispatches. What he says, II
seems to us, is said in a very earnest
tone, and there is no apparent reason
why he should resign an important
position and make a grave charge
against the Interior Department If he
were not in earnest"
"It would be most unjust" says the
Louisville Times independently, Ito
rush to the conclusion upon the .unSup
ported testimony of a civil servant who
is resigning his Office that the Depart
ment of the Interior is at present deal
ing too urbanely' with oil interests as
to a $4,000 600, 600 prize in Western
shale which could be treated as pOliti-
cal asset If there were disposition to do
SO. But thoughtful citizens can but
consider the history of the Department
of the Interior"
Regardless of whose fingers are
burned or who is smeared, the public
wants the TRUTH" declares the. Scran-
ton Times (Democratic). IF it doesn't
come out in the investigation started
by the Attorney Generals Office, then
We are confident that it will be exposed
by Senate committee" The Balti-
more Sun independent Democratic),
emphasizing Mr.. Kelley's quarter of a
century in the Interior Department,
maintains that ION that record alone
it would be imperative to take Mr..
Kelley's charges seriously" The RAJ
leigh News and Observer (Democrattc)
contends that "only full investigation
will satisfy the country, and Mr. Wilbur
did well to invite pitiless publicity of
every lease or dealing with reference to
oil lands" The Asbury Park Press
independent Democratic) thinks Mr.
Kelley should be glad to supply what
ever information is necessary to sub