Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1951-05-03
The Tidelands Question

41G 4IOCIo1lOS XuCStlVh
THE SUPREME COURT decided
= by the narrow margin OF one
vote that, despite the practices o
more than 100 years, the tideland'
from which vast quantities OF oil
are being extracted, are the proper
ty of the federal government anc
not of the states. Unless this decl
sion is corrected by definite and un
legislation by congress
it means a severe loss of revenue Il
several states, including California
and Texas.
The idea originated in the So
cialistic mind of Harold lckes,
and it was in keeping with
President Truman's welfare
state program. Congress passed
the legislation needed to pre-
vent the consummation Of the
seizure, but the President We
toed 1t. A new bill is now before
congress, which, If passed and
vetoed, can be passed ever
veto, as more Of the states
realize the tidelands seizure
may be but a prelude to the
seizure of other natural re-
sources now belonging to the
states. What is proposed in the
bill now before congress is to
give to the states quit claim
deed for all the natural re-
sources within the boundaries
of each, including the coastal
waters, SO the federal govern
ment could not repeat the steal
Ickes attempted, and with the
support of the supreme court
has, up to this point, succeeded
in putting over.
Seizure of the tidelands is one o
many moves in the specialization
Back of it all has beef
the hidden motive that has domi
mated the Presidents program O
specialization of the nation, despite
what he may have said to the con
trary. With gold, silver, coal, irol
and oil, and other natural resources
in the hands of a centralized fed
eral government, things that wer'
never dreamed of by the drafters o
the Constitution, we would be ia
on our way to centralized, social
istic nation, and only step ava!
from totalitarianism.
The representatives Of the
people in Washington, the men,
bers of both the senate and
house, should not hesitate in
preventing such consumma-
ton while there Is yet time.
Those in Washington who are
promoting a socialistic program
know full well that the great
majority of the people do not
want it, and for that reason
they resort to hidden methods
to achieve their ends. PrOtec-
ton against such methods lies
with congress.
The states have leased thest
tideland oil fields to oil producing
corporations, and the corporation
have invested vast sums in thei
development, in plants and equip
ment. Should such arrangement
now be terminated, and the fedora
now lease these field
to other oil producing companies
it would result in a battle royal il
the courts, that would clog cour
calendars for years to come. 1t i
a certainty that the present holder
of these oil leases, made with tn
states in good faith, and in whicl
many millions for drilling ant
has been invested, viii
not merely move out and Sacrific
their investments without a figh
to the last court. They can hop
that the supreme court nigh
change it's narrow margin verdic
should congress not pass the need
ed legislation that would restor
those coast oil fields to their right
full owners, the states. Should con
gress not do so it is only step +
another socialistic seizure of stat
properties, effecting practically al
Of the states.