The National Government is undertaking to join in the formation of a
cooperative committee of lawyers, engineers, and public officers, to
consider what legislation by the States or by the Congress can be adopted
for the preservation and conservation of our supply of petroleum. This has
come to be one of the main dependencies for transportation and power so
necessary to our agricultural and industrial life. It is expected the
report of this committee will be available for later congressional action.
Meantime, the requirement that the Secretary of the Interior should make
certain leases of land belonging to the Osage Indians, in accordance with
the act of March 3, 1921, should be repealed. The authority to lease should
be discretionary, in order that the property of the Indians way not be
wasted and the public suffer a future lack of supply.