| Show TEA POT D ME PROBE BARES NAVY Into Former Secretary Secretary Sec Sec- Falls Fall's Part in Oil Lease Linked Up With U. U S. S Defense Plan W WASHINGTON Dec 1 Consid Consideration ns which Impelled the tho navy department 1 ft n Hil to Hasten th ih the l letting etting of contracts for the tho storage of or oil from naval reserves were Yere laid before the tho senate public lands committee corn com toda today In executive session Rear Admiral J J. J K Robison chief of the bureau of naval engineering the sole witness today in the committees committee's committees committee's com corn Inquiry Into the leasing of the T Teapot Dome field to the tho Sinclair Sinclair Sinclair Sin Sin- clair oil Interests declined again togo to togo to go fully into tho the details of the tho de dePartments dePartment's departments department's de- de I de-I I action except behind closed doors declaring a n. grave military secret was involved Before going into executive session ses ses- I I sion slon however i considerable evidence was heard and the committee re received received re- re re-j re I advices from Albert B. B Fall former fonner secretary of or the tho Interior in response to its invitation to him to I again appear before it It that he ho would hold himself In readiness at any time The Tho committee Invited Mr Fall yesterday to appear after aHer I I several witnesses had testified concerning concerning con con- his personal financial status statu I and the tho evidence was admitted t tC the record LEASE NOT INVOLVED Concerning some somo testimony before be be- be fore tore the tho committee yesterday that thai ho he had been delinquent for sometime some sometime sometime I time In tho the payment of ot taxes in it 1 New Mexico but had made complete payment In 1922 Mr irr Tall Fall advised tho committee that the tho payment nt o of t his personal taxes in 1922 in that I had followed a a. Judicial decision decision deci deci- sion remo removing assessments of which I ho he had complained and had no bearIng bearIng bearing bear bear- Ing whatever upon the leasing lensing through the interior department de 0 of ot the government petroleum reserves Taking the tho examination of Admiral Admiral Ad Ad- miral Robison at today's hearing Senator Smoot Republican Utah asked if ff you conceived that the policy of ot erecting storage facilities 5 and paying for them out of royalty oil was essential for tor the tho national I defense Emphatically replied Admiral Admira I Robison and I can convince yo you 1 as certainly If it you jou give m in ten toi 1 minutes a Senator Walsh Democrat Montana ModS Mon Mod tana tann interposed that the motives motive S of ot tho the department were not being questioned but merely the tho legality of ot tho the interpretation its official ha had I placed on tho the statutes LEGALITY QUESTIONED To read tim the provision pro which au su authorized authorized au- au the tire use uso and storage storage stor stor- age ago of pet petroleum oleum so IO that I it permitted its it's exchange for Cor worth of or construction the tho Montana Montana Montana Mon Mon- tana senator said seemed to him bin a atoo too absurd for tor comment Senator Walsh developed Urn that t some Bomo doubt of tho legality of ot the tb e lease to tho the Sinclair company ha had i been raised by Mr Fall then their secretary secretary sec see rotary of ot tho the Interior department ito Ho expressed doubt Admiral Admira 1 Robison said eald laid of ot our SS in ob oh obtaining obtaining ob- ob taming bids because of the question a of ot h legality although he himself Wa was S certain it would bo be proper proper A letter from Mr Fall to tary Donby Denby proposing ill an amendment amendment amend amend- ment nent to tho 10 navy bill bil 1 specifically giving the authority t to 0 I construct the tho storage out of ot royalties royalties royalties royal royal- ties was rend into the tire record b by Senator Walsh Thero was no evidence e offered I however er that the resolution was wit S ever submitted to Congress by either r secretary Admiral Robison reiterating that t the whole Idea of the tire le lease lo had originated mated In the navy department de do declared do- do elated Secretary Fall lu had d expressed I I when tI the tho o proposal Wll we was S S presented to him Did y you Qu u have any difficulty p per r- r 1 Continued on page S S. S SO I t 0 i TEA POT DOME I Continued from page 1 1 him it was t tree e correct thing asked Senator Lenroot Republican Republican Re Re- publican Wisconsin 4 DOHENY MENTIONED I I None whatever said said the witness witness wit wit- ness and no more than I will have convincing you fOU The name of ot Edward L L. L Doheny was brought into the In inquiry when Admiral Robison said his belief bellet that the naval reserves reserves s were being drained was based largely on a similar opinion expressed by Mr Doheny In an informal conversation on board the Huntingdon In Pensacola Pensacola Pensacola Pensa- Pensa cola bay In 1917 I put more weight on orl on his views the admiral continued than on the toe reports of ot any paid observer which later came to my attention Mr Doheny was present today but was not called Chairman Scott reque requesting him to attend again Monday Senator Walsh by questioning the witness developed that under the tho present agreement the navy department department department depart depart- ment could not hope to get more than barrels for storage out of ot Teapot Dome reserve No 3 On a a present estimated production of barrels the senator said d the navys navy's 20 per cent royalty would bring barrels but two barrels for one must be paid for tor constructing storage STORAGE PROGRAM The witness was unable to give an aggregate estimate on the same basis for all the tha reserves in that field Did you plan to continue to spend pend two thirds of ot your royalty receipts for tor storage Senator Walsh Inquired without knowing whether there would be enough stored to meet the navys navy's needs Admiral Robison said the policy polley as he be understood It was to carry farry carry the storage program as far as possible possible possible ble but not necessarily to comple comple- comple tion Asked by Senator Smoot if It barrels represented the minimum reserve consistent with the navy plans he answered In the I affirmative and added that congress congress congress con con- gress would find It necessary to give it to us in one way or an an- an- an other The navy department holds the belief the witness said that if it an adequate supply of ot oil all Is maintained where we need It the navy can guarantee the nation t that at the next war will not be a a. war of Invasion but otherwise It cannot He announced announced announced an an- that the department planned to provide facilities for tor det- det def definite ct- ct storage of ot gasoline as well as of ot fuel tuel oil and lubricants Gasoline is now being stored without loss In quantity or quality the toe witness declared In certain places in IIi the tropics s. s We Wo have not done it but I am positive that we can do so ISO with tho the help holp of recent developments In storage tank design de- de dej j sign alga 0 II H by the Republican leaders as un un- necessary ary Some lead leaders rs ra of ot the tho senate Insurgents in insurgents insurgents In- In Bald said they had remained away from the ce so as to reserve com complete aleto liberty liberty o of acU action n wi with th reference reference to organization of the senate and its committees They declared they were making no threat but Indicated that their attitude as 43 to any organization fight tight on the tho floor of ot the senate I would be determined largely bythe by bythe bythe the extent to which they get representation representation representation rep rep- on more standing committees committees com com- NAMES OLD COMMITTEE Acting under auth authority given him by tho the conference Senator I Lodge announced the reappointment reappoint reappoint- ment of ot the tho old committee on I committees with the tho selection of ot I Wadsworth of ot New York and Mc- Mc I Cormick of f Illinois Illinois Illinois' t to replace McCumber McCumber Mc- Mc McCumber Cumber of North Dakota and Calder of ot New ew 1 York ork who failed of ot i reelection Senator o of Connecticut rem remains as chairman I and the other members are ara Watson Watson Wat Wat- I son of ot Indiana Curtis Sterling South Dakota McNary l of ot Oregon Moses of ot New Now Hampshire and Elkins of West Virginia This committee will fill the Republican Republican Republican Re Re- publican vac vacancies on tho the standIng standing stand- stand Ing InS committees subject however however I to final approval by the senate I II III |
