Evening star., 1947-05-09
Arabian Oil Probers
Consider Subpoena
For Roosevelt Files
BY ths A.soe;ct.d pr...

Senate investigators on the
trail OF an Arabian oil deal de-
bated today whether to open up
Franklin D. Roosevelt's files with
a subpoena or rely on President
Truman to obtain the infornaa-
ton they want.
The late Presidents executors
made It plain they will not volun-
tarily permit an unrestricted search
Of his papers.
Chairman Brewster Of the Senate
War Investigating Committee told
newsmen he will discuss with Bur-
ton K. Wheeler, the committees
special counsel, whether to be sat-
isfied with documents which Mr..
Truman has told the executors to
provide.
As an alternative, Senator Brew
ster said, the committee could issue
q subpoena requiring the Roosevelt
estate to give investigators full ac-
cess to the files. They are packed
In 165 cases weighing 40 to SO tons.
O'Connor ut Closed Session.
Basil O'Connor, Mr.. Rncsevelt's
former law partner and one OF the
executors, told the committee at a
closed session yesterday. "If we are
subpoenaed, we have to act In ac-
cordance with whatever the sub
poena requires us to do"
But he added:
1--WE would not voluntarily permit
the examination of the papers by
any one, even on the request OF the
President"
The committee later In the day
made public transcript Of testi-
nlony at the session.
Earle Koons, attorney for the
executors, assured the committee
that Mr.. Truman has asked for "all
letters and documents pertinent to
the subject OF the inquiry" He said
these ARE now being gathered to-
gether and will be sent intact to
the White House"
Screening Of Papers Disclosed.
Solon j. Buck, national archiyist,
disclosed that Mr.. Roosevelt made
arrangements two years before his
death In April, 1945, to have his
papers screened.
The idea, Mr.. Buck said, was to.
determine which ones should be
withheld from general circulation"
mainly from the standpoint of
their possible repercussions on indi-
viduals and their regulations"
The papers are in the hands of
the executors until they can be
turned over to the Roosevelt Me-
mortal Library at Hyde Park. The
congressional resolution establish
ing the library authorized Mr.. Buck
to make rules governing use of the
documents
So far the only paper the Senate
committee has received has been
copy of letter written by James
A. Moffett, oil man and former
Federal housing administrator, sug-
gesting the Arabian oil deal in 1941.
Mr.. Koons said yesterday he is
sending eight other documents,
contents undisclosed, to the White
House. These include six letters
or memos between Mr.. Roosevelt
and the Navy Department in 1941
and two 1914.
Fred w. Shipman, director Of the
Hyde Park Library, told the COM
mittee he had received a request
Monday "to make everything the
subject of search. everything relat-
Ing to oil" and II am working on
It,"
Mr.. Truman said at his April
"a press conference he would au-
thortze the committee to obtain
only documents it asked for spe-
cif1cally. Senator Brewster then
wrote asking for everything hav-
ing to do with Arabian oil.
The Maine Senator commented at
the hearing yesterday:
Apparently in this case the Pres
ident was inadequately briefed,
rs the one who prepared the torig-
tnaD letter of request certainly did
not incorporate the committees re-
quest. I think It, may well come
to the attention of the President
that his clerical assistants down
there are In need of a little stim-
IL