Evening star., 1946-02-24
PuuIey
Continued From First Page.

N0o&SS @AA61Ao ACSdIo tlIdt DIS tIl6 pSy.
Geological time to step aside in the
interest Of party harmony, after he
has answered his critics.
Bases Opinion on Oil Row.
Senator Pepper told reporters he
Based his opinion on the "keen con-
troversy as to whether the Federal
Government or the States have pro-
pr,etary rights in the tidewater oil
1ai.ds."
Mr.. Pauley is a personally hon.
est man, yet the Nation knows that
he is heavily interested in OIL" Sem
ator Pepper continued. Under the
circumstances, MIR. Pauley cannot
hold that high post with fairness
either to himself or to the country.
HE surely could not approach
the question open minded as to
whether these tidewater oil lands
should be Federally or State owned,
because he has already declared his
conviction on that subject, that
they should be State owned"
The Florida Senator said he has
long thought that Jurisdiction over
oil should not be vested In the
Navy alone, as it now is under pres
er1t law"
Had Favored Transfer.
IF the President, before the
Pauley nomination arose, had trans
ferred oil to the Interior Depart
ment, I would feel entirely differ
ent about this matter" Senator
Pepper added.
When the hearings began Mr.
Pauley told the committee he would
favor general board made up of
the Secretaries of War, Navy and
Interior to survey the overall future
oil needs of the Nation. More re-
Gently he reminded the committee
that, as to naval oil reserves, the
law requires anything that is done
to be passed on by both branches of
Congress.
Although comparatively few Sena-
tors have expressed themselves pub
licly on the Pauley nomination, a
substantial number on the admins
tration side have voiced privately the
fear that if the fight goes to finish
1t will cause split in Democratic
ranks.
Senator Pepper was in the fore
front among supporters of the late
President Roosevelt, both on foreign
and domestic policy, and belongs to
the liberal wing on the Democratic
side which also has been working
for President Truman's home-front
legislative program. He Is now en-
gagged in perfecting a more liberal
wage-hour bill, which was one of
Mr.. Truman's recommendation
But the signs of opposition to Mr.
Pauley on the Democratic side of
the Senate aisle appear to be cut
ting across the liberal -conservative
line, drawing some from both
groups.
Issue for COP Feared.
The opposition undoubtedly has
been strengthened by the fear that
Mr.. Pauley's confirmation would
provide Republicans with a cam
paign issue in the congressional
elections this fall. One third of the
Senate is up for reelection, and of
those 80 seats, 81 are now held by
Democrats. For these Senators, the
nomination presents particularly
difficult decision.
Neither Senator Pepper nor Sena-
tor Stewart has to run for re-
election this year, however. Sena-
tor Peppers term has five years to
run and Senator Stewart is not up
until 1948.
Democratic strategists also are
weighing the theory that if Mr..
Pauley should win confirmation by
q small margin, with heavy Re-
publican vote against him, the is
sues raised in connection with his
nomination could still be used to
even greater advantage by Repub-
lican orators in the approaching
campaign.
A group of witnesses from Cali
fornia are scheduled to be heard
starting Tuesday. Some of them
will be questioned on details of the
1899 election fight over State oil
conservation law, on which Califor-
mia oil men were divided.
The committee also is waiting
for the arrival of William A. Pat
terson, president of United Air
Lines, to ask him if any pressure
was used in an effort to give the
Democrats a campaign contribu-
ton in 1914. George Killion, who
succeeded Mr.. Pauley as Democratic
treasurer, testified last week Mr..
Patterson was asked for a contri-
button, but denied any pressure was
exerted on the air line official