The Washington times., 1930-09-30
SENATE To SCAN
KELLY'S OIL
CHARGES
Probe Near as Ray |. Wilbur,
interior Head, Stands His
GFound;. BIoW-off Is Seen

the administration Of President
Harding has reappeared moved
a notch nearer q reality today.
Ralph s. Kelley, chief Of the
General Land Office in Denver,
Colo, for the last quarter Of a
century. whose resignation fol-
lowed his public charge the Inter
ior Department played favoritism
in awarding valuable oil Sfale
land leases on public lands In the
West was refused by Ray Lyman
Wilbur, Secretary Of the Interior,
has announced he win amplify
his charges before q Senate In
vestigating committee. Meanwhile
he has been suspended.
Welcomes . Probe
Wilbur, too, declared he vel
coined an investigation and has
directed his subordinates to COM
pile q report on all transactions
relative to the oil lands in the
public domain made since he
assumed office.
The consensus Of the Senators
now in washington is that the
charges made by Kelley are Of
such magnitude that the Senate
should conduct q thorough in
vestigation and absolve the
Hoover Administration, If the al
legations are false, or clean house
Of those officials who have failed
to carry out their duties to the
letter of the law.
Wilbur said he refused to ac-
cept Kelley's resignation because
Of the seriousness Of his allega-
tionS and suspended him pending
q departmental inquiry. He de-
Tended his departments admins
tration Of the oil lands and re-
marked Kelley was instructed on
last july z to come here and
take charge of the work he now
attacks but has not as yet re-
ported to him.
Worked Month I'm d. G.
Kelley appeared here in August
and worked about a month
during Wilbur's inspection Of the
Boulder Canyon site, the Secre-
tary'S statement said.
Not q single lease for oil shale
lands has been issued by the
Interior Department since he
took office, Wilbur said.
A majority Of the claims on
such lands not invalidated by the
general leasting act Of 1920 are
held, he said. in the names Of
individuals or associations Of in
dividuals comprised mainly Of
residents Of the local community.
He added:
whether sO-called large oil
companies purchased these
claims after patent is . matter
over which the department has
no jurisdiction or control"
Old Act i'm Force
He also said the AdminiStra-
tion's oil conservation policy does
not affect claims made under the
old mineral leasing act and such
claims were left intact as long
as they compiled with the old
law.
Kelley alleged in his letter that
the department during the last
six years, has awarded to power
full oil interests billions Of dol
lars worth Of oil lands In Colo
RADIO to which. he said, they are
not entitled.
Dakota, chairman Of the Senate
Public Lands Committee, said
kelley is a highly respected
governmental official, and added:
extraordinary that he should
resign from the Government
service after Is years, unless he
felt he was doing the right
thing"
Nye said Kelley must be given
a hearing. 49,.
BrOOkhart Interested
Another Senator, Brokhart (R.)
of Iowa, said an investigation into
every charge preferred by Kelley
in his letter of resignation to
Wilbur should be investigated, TO
see if they are based on facts. He
said:
''The American people are
entitled to have their public
domain and natural resources
administered for the public good
and the public benefit, instead
of being sIOughed away and ex-
plotted for the benefit of a few.
''We felt that the Elk Hills
and Teapot Dome scandals had
ended that sort Of adminissra-
tiOn Of the oil reserves.
Indeed, the darkest spot Of
our history is the despOiling Of
our natural resources. There
must be an investigation Of
these charges. II they are un-
true, the Administration should
be absOIved. Otherwise, we
must clean house again."
Senator Tydings Cd Of Mary
land sees the possibility of the
PRONUNCIATION oE 3 new national
oil policy If Kelley's accusations
arc adjudged correct. He said:
"It is too serious to discuss
further until we have all the