Show MARQUIS CHILDS Tidelands Bill Veto Favored To Protect Oil Reserves WASHING V ASH I N G TON White WhiteHouse House strategy on the Tidelands oil bill bUl has been fixed ever since it was apparent that the powerful power power- ful oil on lobby would push it through the senate as well as the house There was never any doubt of a presidential veto The Tho president of course will willbe willbe willbe be on the soundest grounds in sending the measure back to congress without his signature In spi spite to of oC the talk of or previous supreme court decisions on the issue it was highly irregular for congress congress to act while the question was pending before the high court The determination of the oil on lobby to jam the Tidelands bill through to passage in n spite of all aU obstacles and all embarrassments embarrassments embarrassments embarrass embarrass- ments is a measure of oC the richness richness richness rich rich- ness of ot the prize It is the last great reserve of oil within the continental United States and therefore careful supervision of its use under the federal government government government gov gov- is vital to the security of this nation Would Be Blunder Some of oP the presidents president's more hostile critics on Capitol Hill have intimated that he would sign the bill out of loyalty to Edwin W. W Pauley Quite apart from all other considerations this would be a political blunder of the first order A glance at the vote in the senate indicates that Pauley was in a sense merely a convenient convenient con con- whipping boy He wanted want want- ed the Tidelands oil under con con- control control trot of the states and he setout set setout setout out to achieve that objective by y yany any and every means Suddenly Sudden Sudden- ly the searchlight of publicity fell squarely on him and his methods But what he was doing a dozen or ar ora a a hundred others were also doing The Tho success success success suc suc- cess of this all pervasive all lobby is s measured in the senate vote of 44 to 34 In favor of passage of the bill One of the 25 Republicans voting for far transfer of the Tidelands Tidelands Tidelands Tide- Tide lands oil was Senator William Wllliam Knowland of California In California California Cali CaU- fornia one of the chief proponents proponents proponents of the Tidelands bill was Attorney General Robert Kenny who was roundly defeated for far forthe forthe the governorship a short time ago not only in the Republican primary but in his own Democratic Democratic Demo Demo- cratic primary as well Many fa factors tors entered into that defeat defeat defeat de de- feat but its it's just possible the voters didn't like Kenny's incessant in incessant incessant in- in lobbying for the oil companies that wanted to get the Tidelands reserves under the domain of the states Pepper in Favor savor Of the 19 Democrats voting for the oil companies one was wasS S Senator e en n a t tor o r C CIa Claude l a ud e a Pepper of oC Florida When Pauley's nomination nomination nomi nomi- nation as undersecretary of the navy precipitated lengthy senate senate sen sen- ate ato hearings Pepper was one of those who piously called on Pauley to n withdraw his name sonic Another Democrat who voted for the transfer was Senator David I. I Walsh of Massachusetts Massachusetts who as chairman of or the senate naval affairs committee commit commit- tee heard Secretary of or the navy James Forrestal express his concern over dwindling oi oil re re- re serves In view of the house vote of or to 11 for transfer of the Tidelands oil the president will probably have to rely on the senate to sustain his veto With the rite help of votes from such Republicans Republicans Re Re- publicans as Senators Tobey La Follette Hart and Morse the president will MIl be able to re repulse repulse re- re pulse the oil lobby's maneuver It almost seems sometimes as though in their blindness certaro certain certain tain taro powerful forces were determined determined determined de de- to pull America down The same kind of lobby was responsible for the buy American American American Ameri Ameri- can clause in the measure just signed by the president provid provid- ing for creation of strategic stockpiles Our great natural wealth was dwindling rapidly long before beCote World War Var II The war that ended a year ago cut it tt to the very bone Our supplies of minerals oil and timber Umber are at ata ata a level which means the tho most careful national planning if we weare weare weare are are to bo be secure within our our continental continental continental con con- borders The creation of strategic stockpiles is s an essential essential essential es es- part of that planning Yet congress tacks on an amendment that all but brit destroys the value of stockpiling The amendment provides that only items produced or manufactured from materials originating in inthis inthis inthis this country can be bought for public use S Stockpiles t 0 c k P i 1 e s above ground should be put together from copper coppe m manganese and so on brought in from Prom outside the country This would mould tend to con conserve 5 e r v e our dwindling re resources resources re- re sources sun still beneath the ground If they are still in the earth they cannot be dissipated or destroyed de de- de As President Truman pointed painted out In protesting the buy American clause the act al allows allows allows al- al lows exceptions where domestic purchases are found inconsistent inconsistent inconsistent incon with the public interest or unreasonable in cost Every advantage should be taken of this loophole We Ve need to build buildup buildup up tip our security reserves both from within and without the countr country |