Show l LEGALITY OF f mlp OIL ml p U y IN TEST Withholding of Permits Cause of Action in Capital CapitalI WASHINGTON D D. C. C March 29 I Special The Thc The legality of or President I Hoovers Hoover's oil cO conservation policy polle which has baa had the effect of or call cally suspending tho future development devel evel- of or public oil and gas sas lands In Utah and antl other othe western states Is 15 being tested in the supreme court of or tho District o of oC Columbia At least eight ht suits are mo now on file in that court which seek seck to havo have writs o of mandamus issued compelling the secretary of or the In Interior In- In tenor to accept applications a for permits to prospect for Cor oil on and gas sas gason gason sason I on public lands to grant permits or o. orto orto to reinstate permits which were canceled under tho the new cW policy Prominent among those taking an active c part In bringing about a judicial reversal rc of oC this policy is Attorney Weston Vernon Jr son of Dr and Mrs Weston eston Vernon of or Logan Utah Mr Vernon with the law aw firm of ton Gregg Church Chuich appeals appeal ns fiS counsel In one of tin HIP import important cat cases Ci PROTEST GENERAL GENERALA A 4 general protest a. a against a t nf the thc ples present t policy was made mada by hy the representatives of or western states in tho spring of or 1929 In when the tho adminIstration administration admin admin- I announced d that temporarily tem tern I at least no more mole applications lions for fo permits to prospect for oil I and gas as on tho the public domain would i bo accepted no further permits Continued on pa page c 9 I IlLEGALITY LEGALITY OF OIL POLICY IN TEST Continued from page Iago 1 would be Issued and permits already granted would he lie canceled unless the tho l had been diligent In Jn their thick prospecting operations and could show how equities which would entitle e them to a n. continuance of or their permits This protest has Ilas now been carried to tilt the courts CO and the tile pr present indications inch indi cal on are aro that tho supreme court of oC th tile the District of or Columbia will decide de do- cide the matter in favor or of ot persons seeking permits Justice Bailey before whom two cases cues were argued stated orally y at atthe atthe atthe the conclusion of ot the argument that he would l jI writs of r mandamus but bul consented to a delay to enable enl counsel for the department of or tile the interior to file a a. brief in support of oC the tile pret policy DECLARES SUSPENSION Justice Siddons who wIle heard the argument In c BC other cat cased s stated elated from rein tile the bench bencil that the new policy amounted to a sU suspension of the in r act of oC IJO 1920 under which oil nil nn auld and gas permits issued and that unless ho lie could be convinced that tho tim executive branch of or tho the government h has authority to suspend sus stis- us- us pend this act ho lie would ouId Issue writs of or amus In the various cases hull him The Tho written opinion of or tho the judges is 15 expected ct ell to bo handed down within the tile n next few v weeks AH il of or the petitions petition In tile the suits now on OIl file alJe allege c that tIlt th action of 0 tile the secretary of 0 th tho tilo interior in refusing to n accept applications for prospecting permits and andin In refusing to issue such permits permits' is contrary to tile the I 1020 O act and that an any citizen of or orthe the the- United States who meets tho the requirements of or that statute is en entitled entitled entitled en- en titled to have hae a 3 permit permit- issued to him S SIll In Ill tho tile event e tho petition Is decided de de- in ill tuner favor of or the c contestants the department of or interior pl plans to carr carry tho the case Clue on appeal to 10 the tile court o of appeals of or the District of oC Columbia IIo However r it is po possible that President Hoover CI will oHm volun voluntarily modify his ills policy polle If Ie the tho pending pond pend nd- nd big ing decision is js unfavorable L L IL I |