Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-03
Senate Approves Bill
Giving States Title 10
0il-Rich TideIands
BY the Associated Press

The Senate yesterday approved
the controversial tidelands bill
giving States, instead of the Fed
eral Government. clear title to
oil-rich lands in their coastal
areas.
The House has passed a some
what similar bill, but the measure
is still far from becoming law.
First, differences between the Sem
ate and House bills must be ironed
out. Lawmakers do not believe
this will be difficult.
The finally approved bill then
goes to President Truman, who
vetoed similar measure in 1916
and may veto the new one.
Following the 50-to-35 Senate
roll-call vote yesterday, Senators
expressed conflicting. opinions
whether the legislation could be
passed by the required two thirds
majority over the anticipated veto.
Boundaries Are Set.
The Senate measure gives the
States outright ownership to the
lands beneath the marginal seas
for a distance of miles out from
their shores, except in the cases
of Texas and Florida, where the
distance is 101a miles because of
conditions under which they were
admitted as States.
The House bill not only gives
the States title to the marginal
belt, but provides also that the
States should receive STA per cent
of all revenues from oil and gas
developments in the continental
shelf out beyond the State sea-
ward boundaries.
The Supreme Court has ruled
that the Federal Government has
paramount rights to submerged
coastal areas. However, if Con-
gress passes a law saying the
States own such areas. the court
EuIiIlg WOuiQ uOC Apply.
Will Agree to Changes.
Representative Walter, Demo-
crat, of Pennsylvania, author Of
the House bill, said after yeSter-
days Senate vote he would agree
to the Senate changes.
II don't think there's much
possibility the House Judiciary
Committee can get to the Senate
bill before next Tuesday," Mr..
Walter said.
There may be some members
who favor Federal control who
would try to delay the legislation
further, but I will do everything
in my power to expedite &C
ceptance of the Senate version
both in committee and on the
House floor"
The Senate's passage of the bill
yesterday came after two other
roll-call votes.
BY a 47-to-36 vote. the Senate
tabled what has been popularity
known as the Hill "oil for educa-
ton" amendment.
Sponsored by Senator Hill,
Democrat, of Alabama, the amend
ment would have given all Fed
eral revenues from offshore sub
merged land to the States for
educational purposes.
The next crucial vote came then
on an amendment sponsored by
Senators O'Mahoney, Democrat,
of Wyoming. and Anderson. Demo-
crat, of New Mexico, giving the
Secretary of Interior control of
the submerged coastal lands until
such times as final solution to
the problem would have been
found. 1t would have given the
States 37l2 per cent of revenues
out for 3 miles.
Although called an interim
measure, many Senators said it
likely would become permanent
arrangement.
Senator Holland, Democrat, of
Florida sponsored the finally
approved amendment.
Senators Connally and Johnson,
Texas Democrats. dropped their
own amendment which was iden-
tical to the House-passed bill. The
Texans yielded when they found a
number of Senators would not
support the provision giving States
part of the revenues from the con-
ttnental shelf.
Senator O'Mahoney said the
President will veto the bill and
added that the 50-to-35 vote was
evidence that it could not be
passed over veto.
Senator Holland, on the other
hand. said nine Senators who were
absent from yesterdays session for
various reasons would vote with
the States ownership faction. He
also expressed the belief that some
who had voted for Federal control
yesterday would reverse their po-