Evening star., 1948-03-07

and others. Inc measure WILL DC
reported favorably, they state freely
and emphatically to all opposition
witnesses, and-they add-the Con-
gress will pass it even more en-
phatically than last year.
Last years bill, passed before the
Supreme Court had decided the
question, was vetoed by President
Truman. And Interior Secretary
Krug predicted this week that the
Chief Executive would veto it agian
this year.
Mr.. Krug, along with Attorney
General Clark, appeared before the
subcommittee this week and under
went long and repetitious question
ing by members who freely admitted
that they had already made up their
minds in favor of the State owner
ship measure, which Mr.. Krug said
was designed solely to make a gift
to certain States, without any con-
sideration whatsoever of valuable
rights belonging to the United
States"
States Rights Issue Raised.
The issue of States rights has
been brought up time and again by
Governors and attorneys general be-
fore the subcommittee. Pointing
out that in the California case the
Supreme Court held that the State
has not now and never has had any
right to the marginal lands, Mr.
Clark declared that States rights
was entirely foreign to this prob
lem"
A number of the States, including
Maryland and South Carolina, ex-
pressed apprehension over what they
termed the possibility that the Fed
eral Government might disturb the
control exercised by the States over
the taking of fish and other marine
life from the marginal sea. Mr.
Clark declared that there "is nc
basis for assertions that the SUI
preme Courts decision interferes
with or withdraws any such powers.
A number of the inland States
Colorado, for instance, have ex-
pressed fears that the United States
might claim inland waters and il
was for this reason that the second
administration measure was intro
duced. Mr.. Clark expressed the
opinion that the Great Lakes were
inland waters.
Oil men without exception have
appealed for passage of the State
ownership bill. Hiram N. Dow
former lieutenant governor OF New
Mexico and a representative OF the
Interstate Oil Compact Commission
perhaps summed up their position
with the statement that "becaust
of freedom of action under Stat'
leases and the restrictive feature
of Federal leases, have found tha
oil operators much prefer to ex'
plore and develop State and pri
vately owned lands"
McCarran Heckles Clark.
Mr.. Clark was interrupted ane
heckled repeatedly during his tes
timony by Senator McCarran, WHIT
at one point demanded:
You say it was your duty to pre-
sent the tidelands matter to the
Supreme Court Do you also con
sioer it your duty to come here ane
try to mold the opinion of Con
gressmen who have sworn anywa!
to do our duty in upholding the
public INTEREST,""
"I am not seeking to mold YOU
opinion" Mr.. Clark replied, "bu
may I ask when Congress came II
be the agency that determines whit
owns what? The Supreme Cour
must decide, and has decided wht
the legal owner of the submerged
lands is. OF course, you can thel
give away these lands If you wan
to-" -,
IN an extraordinary procedure
Senator Moore announced that a
the suggestion OF Senator McCar
ran he would permit any of th'
proponents to cross examine MI