Evening star., 1946-02-04
PauIey FIatIy Denies
Amy Attempt TO Sway
TideIands Oil Suit
Continued From First Page J

,CTdG OF CallIOTnla were PAID Tor not
by the Democratic National Com
mittee, but by Petrol Oil Corp.
which Mr. Pauley founded.
Pauley's Answer to Charges.
{ Mr.. Pauley's statement follows.
/, I'm reviewing the record in this
hearing, there are some matters
which have apparently become con-
fused and upon which I wish to
clearly reafflrm the position taken
in my opening statement to this
committee. The complex, compound
and involved nature of some of the
questions seem to me to have led
rather naturally to this confusion
The committee will recall that I
stated without reservation that
quote have publicly, privately and
repeatedly stated it to be my firm
conviction that ownership in the
tidelands rests with the States un-
quote.
Il stated also that I never sought
to have the President, the Attorney
General, the solicitor general, the
Secretary Of the Interior or Mr.. Lit
tell delay, postpone or withdraw any
law suit regarding the tidelands, nor
have l ever sought to exert pressure
on any one concerning tideland law
suits or legislation. Some have con-
strued these statements of mine to
mean that I never expressed to these
officials and others my conviction
that the tidelandS are owned by
the States.
Had Expressed Convictions.
IT am sure that in reading my
testimony as whole that the COM
mittee understands that I did ex-
press my convictions as to the own
erShip of the tidelands to everybody
and reiterate it here and now that
these lands are owned by the States,
but that is quite a different thing
from asking or seeking or attempt
ing to exert pressure upon Govern
ment officials or any one else to
postpone, delay or withdraw litiga-
tlon on this question.
Surely l have a right, openly
and frankly. to express my views on
tidelande even to Mr. Littell, and if
in his imagination he read into these
expressions of my views some sin
lister purpose which were not in
tended that is MIR. Littell's doing
not mine And in this connection,
the only document which Mr.. Littell
introduced into the record. and to
uTnIPh he rnfnyrod atI -
own self-made memoranda are ones
that show squarely on their face
that I suggested that the Congress
pass legislation to take possession
for the United States of all SUBJ
merged lands on the continental
shelf lying beyond the boundaries
of the several States.
Order by Truman.
"I did recommend this action both
upon the late President Roosevelt
and in turn at his suggestion to At
torney General Biddle. Since then,
by executive order, President Tru-
man has accomplished by proclama-
ton this very thing"
1n his testimony Mr.. Pauley
has drawn a distinction between
submerged oil lands within and
outside of the three mile limit.
He supports the contention that
the States have title from low
water mark to the three-mile
limit. The Continental Shelf re-
ferred to in his statement is out
ciSp thn tloroo- milo limit
Il regret sincerely that any mis-
understanding should have arisen
in Secretary Ickes mind as to my
conversations with him. 1t is per-
fectly true that I asked Secretary
1ckes' assistance in helping to raise
campaign funds. ! asked for SINH
lar assistance from other cabinet
officers. I again say that I ex-
pressed my views as to the State
ownership of tidelands to Secretary
Ickes, and probably to other cabi-
net. members and any one else who
would listen to me.
No Contingent Funds.
But I repeat and reiterate as I
did in my testimony the other day
that I never solicited, never received
and would never take a contingent
political contribution of any kind
or characer. l regret Secretary
Ickes should have misunderstood
the purport of my remarks.
Il assume this misunderstanding
must have arisen because in the
course of some of my discussions
with the Secretary I did express
the view that regardless of how he
felt as to who owned the tidelands,
it would be mistake to raise the
tideland issue by his granting Fed
eral permits to drill for oil in these
lands to private interests, many
of which interests were engaged in
selling shares in these permit .ap-
plications to credulous investors.
"Let me add another thing. have
often introduced businessmen to
Government officials and members
of Congress in order that these busl-
nessmen might discuss their prob
lens and secure the advice OF Gov
ernment officials and members OF
Congress. Personally, I sometimes
agreed with the views of these busi-
nessmen, often I disagreed, but I
did not presume to prejudice their
problems. I have firmly stated my
convictions that Government and
business should be on more friend
ly and understanding basis and I
am confident that such is the feel
ing of the members of Congress.
Another Confusion of Record.
1.-THE record also is confused as
to what is meant by hot OIL All
I meant was production not in con-
formity with MIRA regulations.
This act, as you all know, declared
unconstitutional by the Supreme
Court of the United States. Most
producers disregarded these uncon-
stitutional regulations. have never
produced any Oil in excess of valid
regulations.
There is another statement in
the record upon which I wish to
comment. Senator Tobey asked me: