West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-09-10
From GxoRox w. sUMxKns.

commerce Commission, entered on Fri
day through the efforts OF Senator Chiffon,
former Senator Watson and Congressman
Nicely. Since the beginning of the war
in Europe the purchasing agencies have
ceased or almost ceased to buy oil from
the producer. With no market and no
place TO store the oil a. it is produced,
the producer has been greatly embarrassed.
1t was ascertained that there is storage
capacity at Clean, New York, for about
1000, 900 barrels OF oil, but that pipeline
transportation charges 10 that point and
the further charges from there to New
York, when the oil may be shipped on IN
seaboard make prohibitive rate. With
Representatives OF the oil producers, Sena-
tor Chiffon, Senator Watson and Mr..
Nicely went before the Interstate Com
merce Commission and asked that q rate
by way of Clean be made the same as by
the direct route to New York, with
the privilege Of storing in transit. Pipe
line officials concurred i'm the request and
the order was issued. 1t is believed this
will take care Of practically all the oil
produced in West Virginia until the
resumption Of foreign shipments and of
purchases by the agencies.
Former Senator q. w. Watson, after
travelling in FIVE European countries after
each had declared war, has reached home
again. He was compelled to abandon an
automobile in Germany and says that
any West Virginian who desires to 90
and get it may have il 80 far as he is con-
cerned. He was held in Germany a few
hours under suspecion of being British
spy, even his passports signed by William
J. Bryan, secretary OF State, being ques-
toned in small place where the fame
OF the Great Commoner had not reached.
Senator Watson is Of the opinion that
the United States will greatly increase its
foreign commerce as result of the
European war, but that at the end of the
war, or later, it may be necessary for
this country to fight TO maintain its in
creased commerce; and that we are not
now prepared to do 80. His views of the
war, as it may affect us, are that we
should 90 after the commerce which is
being lost by countries in Europe, and
that we should prepare ourselves to de-
fend the trade 30 gained, by force OF arms
ii necessary. While people in this
country do not feel that there is any
probability Of war, Senator Watson said
that three weeks before war was declared
by Germany, fnanciers and bankers in
Berlin assured him that there was no
possibility Of European war. The
Senator is not an alarmist nor does he
predict a war in which the United States
VIII be involved, but having seen how
quickly conditions changed in Europe
and the preparedness Of European nations
when the war came, he believes it the
duty Of the United States to be better
prepared than it it isnow for emergencies
which may follow our capturing the
commerce OF foreign nations.
Putting into practice his belief that
Americans have great opportunity be-
fore them to get and hold commerce that
now is held by European nations, Senator
Watson and his associates in the coal
business in West Virginia haye under
taken to open offices OF their company i'm
many OF the principal cities OF Europe.
w. I. Coe and G. III. Kalkman have
been sent to Europe to establish these
Offices. Senator Chiffon not only got
them passports but letters from the
British, French, Italian, Spanish and
Portuguese embassies, as to the high
personal standing Of the two men, which
should prevent them from having any
trouble even in the war zone.
With short day in Congress on Satur-
day and Labor Day coming next 10 Sum
day, practically a three days vacation
was provided for Senator's and members
OF the House. Congressman Nicely and
Brown took advantage of the three DAYS
recess to visit their districts, expecting to
be back in their seats when the sessions
were resumed today. Opportunities like
these will not be plentiful during the
campaign and most of the Congressman
who live within a few hundred miles of
the capital take advantage of every op-
portunity Of the kind TO get into their
districts for few hours and see how
things are going.
Members Of the subcommittee of the
House judiciary committee, who have
been assigned TO review and summarize
the testimony in the Dayton case, are
expected TO make report TO the full com
mittee some time this week. Opinions
vary a. 10 what the substance of their
findings will be.
Three OF the amendments TO the omni-
bus antitrust bill, supplementing exist
ing laws against unlawful restraints and
monopolies, as adopted by the Senate,
were inserted in the bill by Senator Chill
ton. They make embezzlement from a
corporation or firm engaged in commerce
as a common carrier federal offense,
with severe penalty; prohibit common
carriers from having on their drectorates
any person holding Official position with
any other corporation with which they
have dealings, and providing penalties;
and prohibiting a corporation from doing
any kind Of business in any State which
Il Is prohibited from doing in the State
where il is incorporated.
An effort is TO be made next Saturday
night 10 organize a West Virginia Society
in Washington. Previous attempts have
not been very ccessful. but an effort
will be made this time 10 organize an
association Of West Virginians residing
here. d. w. Gall, formerly Of Pbilippi,