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Show Passing of Leasing Bill Urged West Most Vitally Interested TwoCabinet Members Criticised WASHINGTON, Oct. 12. Senator C. S. Thomas of Colo, r j Ja iiuJi i-luj p attack upon-Secretary Daniels and Attorney Attor-ney General Gregory in the senate, charging them with usurping the duties of the secretory of the interior and with barring the passage of pending legislailon looking la tha development .of government owned oil and gaa landau ; He placed responsibility for the prea-j prea-j ent oil ahortage and the necessity for , tha I'nltrd Htiites to depend upon the 1 output of Mr xlcan wrrts to supply Ha army upon thf government, and de clarcd the development of tha nil lands haa Im-ch restricted since 1909 "I believe If the secretary of the In trrtnr could have his way. If he were secrvtnry of the Interior In fact as well as In name, thia hilt would have been p;iard long ago," dor-.ired th senator, sena-tor, rfTring to the oil land leasing bill now deadlocked in conference. "If he would 1 1 it l t upon the operation of his own department. It would not le nec-fMutrv nec-fMutrv for me to take up the aet tale's lime" , Senator Thomas declared the bill Is demanded de-manded in meet our domestic aa well aa our foreign 1011 mi nipt ton of oil. "We are depending for our oil supply ! for the une of our own srmy and I hone of our attics on the oil wells of Milro.M he said, "and never haa thers been such , an etihibitlen of unfriendly attitude to the t'nlted Htatea aa during the last sis months. Meaico has placed every oh- 1 atacle short of hostile attack In our way 1 of ohtalnlng this oil supply. Imposing heavy duties, and fr-equentlv Interfering with contracts, which haa often serlous- l ly embarrassed our armies." j Van H. Manning, director of tha bureau bu-reau of mines. Informed the aenata today that, viewed from any angle, the prospect pros-pect of an oil leasing bill la desirable, and that conditions probably will arise that will make auch legislation distinctly distinct-ly a war measure. He withheld Judgment on the merits of the house and senate amendmente to the pending bill, now tied up because of a deadlock between the conferees. There are In the United Htatea now. Mr. Manning reported. a.&4.2 acres of oil and gaa lands, and 122,024 of oil shale lands which have been withdrawn from entry In Western states' by tha government, and moat of which would 1 opened by the passage of the leasing hill. |