Evening star., 1946-01-26


brought in the United States Su-
prerne Court, the State of California
and the oil interests affected
rushed down upon Congress with a
plea that Congress itself decide the
issue by legislation confirming the
States claim. The House passed the
desired bill. The Senate has yet to
act.
What persuaded the House? You
recall similar action by the House
when the Justice Department
brought its suit against group OF
insurance companies, charging con-
spiracy in restraint of trade. Into
the House hopper went bill to
exempt insurance companies from
the penalties of the antitrust laws.
At the same time tremendous
clamor was set up against the al
legged intention of the Government
to take away from the States their
right to regulate the insurance COM
panies. This was made the issue,
although there was nothing in the
Governments suit that affected the
States rights in any manner. Nat
urally the States rallied behind the
bill, Governors and State insurance
commissioners rising to protect their
authority over local insurance busi-
ness.
Voted Overwhelmingly.
Under such pressure the House
passed the bill by an overwhelming
majority. A lot of good members
allowed themselves to be fooled.
BY the time the Senate reached
vote on the measure the facts had
become understood and the Houses
hasty action was largely undone.
Under pressure of the same kind,
the House put through the Bull
winkle bill to head off an antitrust
prosecution of the railroads already
begun by the Justice Department.
The bill is now cooling off in a
Senate committee.
And now we have the oil lands
beneath the Pacific Ocean. Most
of the publicity concerning this has
related to the activities of Edwin
w. Pauley, former treasurer of the
Democratic National Committee,
recently named Undersecretary of
the Navy. Much of his consider
able wealth is derived from the oil
lands in question and he is alleged
to have had part in persuading
House leaders of the merits of Cali
fornia's case.
I don't know what Mr. Pauley told
the Congressman, but I do know
the nature of the general pressure.
1t is all spelled out in document
prepared by Robert w. Kenny, at
torney general of California. This
document asserts that if the Gov
ernment wins its case it will threat
en- title, leaseholds or other inter-
ests in submerged lands beneath
coastal waters, the ports, bays and
harbors, and the navigable rivers
and lakes in every State"
Frightful Examples Cited.
This was the line taken. To make
the threat seem serious, it was as
serted, "If Mr.. Ickes can seize one
square foot of tide or submerged
lands in any State and maintain
his seizure, it will be the official
duty of Federal officers everywhere
to complete the conquest of like
lands in all States"
Frightful examples were offered.
Half the city of Boston" "Chicago's
richest area" New York's vast har-
bor," could be seized. And so on.
Is it any wonder that attorneys gen.
eral of nearly all States were led
to join in the battle against the
greedy Government? Or any Won
der that the Congressman, loyal to
their States, hurried up to be count
ed in favor of the bill?
No, the only wonder is that Con
gressmen would accept such fan
taStic nonsense. that the very ex-