THREATENED SCANDAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1924, Page 8

THREATENED SCANDAL

SELLING AMERICAN OIL LANDS

TWO GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IMPLICATED.

(Received 23rd January, 2 p.m.) WASHINGTON, 22nd Jan. The appearance of Archibald Roosevelt, son of ex-President Theodore Roosevelt, before the Senatorial Committee which if investigating the lease of Governmentowned oil lands to private interests, promises to precipitate si widespread scandal involving two Cabinet Departments.

Mr. Roosevelt, who is an employee of the oil company which secured the leases, testified that upon the advice of his brother Theodore, who ia Assistant-Secre-tary to the Navy Department, he (Archibald) resigned his position in order to protect the family name. He in-timates-that he is dissatisfied with the manner wherein the leases were secured. Mr. Roosevelt's evidence has added further complications which involve a case wherein intimations of bribery have been freely made and much damaging testimony adduced. The facts briefly aro that ex-Secretary Fall," of the Department of the Interior,- having obtained jurisdiction oVer these oil lands from the Navy Department, which held them a3 a naval oil reserve, leased them to tho Sinclair Oil Company. Experts estimated that the lands contained 22,000,----000 barrels of oil, and the Navy Department had received as payment only 1,600,000 barrels.