The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-23
SEEKS FAIR PLAY FOR
STANDARD AT BERLIN
United States VIII Insist ON
Germany Dealing JustI,
With Oil Company.
RELIES ON TREATY RIGHTS
State Department Will Pre-.
Fight to Get Corporation Re-
imbursed If Oustcd.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2?.-'rhe ..t..,
taken by Ambassador Gerard at Rrr7
last week with reference 20 the plan ~
the German Government to create an ..i
monopoly IN Germany Is an indication ~
the determination Of the state Depart
ment to make every possible effort ~ r,,.
serve the extensive interests of the stand
ard OIL Company In that country.
Ambassador Gerard acted under dire.
tion of Secretary Bryan. The spectacle OF
Mr.. Bryan protecting the Standard OIL
Company under any circumstances is re-
garded In Washington as possessing
elements OF humor.
The opinion said TO prevail In ofioiA
circles In Germany that because OF tho
attitude Of the Wilson Administrator
toward the Standard oil Company and o.
trusts generally the United states Wi.
not care to go to the relief OF the Amer
can corporation II not well founded
In fact the contrary Is the case Tho
State Department will act as energetlcally
as possible In the interests OF the Stand
ard OIL Company regardless OF Its reputs.
ton at home as an organization OF
monopolisitc tendencies.
II Is not the intention OF the stat.
Department to attempt TO deny the right OF
the German Government to make the oil
business In that country a Governmert
monopoly or to form partnership be
tween the Government and private inter
ests which would amount to much tho
same thing.
The GOvernmen t's Attitude.
The Departments representations will
be rather that the German Government
cannot sacrifice the very large interests %
the Standard OIL Company In Germany
without violating the right OF American
firms to fair treatment at the hands ~
the German Government. which right Is
guaranteed BY agreements with the UnteI
States.
What may be saved TO the STANDARD OIL
out OF the wreck which the German p'a.
would cause IL carried into execution viii
out some notifications Is not yet known.
/ The representations made by Amolssi4Y-
/ Gerard were chiefly for the purpose *
| gaining a stay OF action so that the United
| States Government might have oppui tuu'v
| to examine more closely the leeai and
| treaty. aspects OF the situation, and then
make more SPECIFIC representations
necessary.
State Department officials are condds,.
that II there is a postponemcnt OF the ,N-
| ecution OF the German plan an ad,qutf-
| reimburs ement OF the Standard oil Com
! pany for It's properties and Interests ma.
result.
II IL said that the property iute'es.,
/ OF the German branches OF the Stanla.i
| OIL amount to about sl5,000.O00. These
include terminal facilities for reccN.rl
! storing and distributing oil. and lands an
/ buildings The fi5.0oO.0Oo estimate D. '
said, makes no allowance whatever TO-
value ot the German standard oil "a. 20
| going concern. with its customers, agents
&c. and Its good VIII
| The oil company considers that dies.
values should be taken into consderauHH
| II the German Government insists m
barring II from the German markets, I'M
which the company has established 't'-'
as the strongest establishment
The German plan.
| According to reports received here '.f
/ German Government contemplates A MOS
unsatisfactory mode of granting come
pensation TO the Standard OIL Comparr
for the loss OF its properties and interests
| in Germany.
II is planned. II Is said 70 take
over In toto the entire works AMI
interests of the American corporation AMI
deliver them into the hands OF the new
organization TO be created by the perd.n-
legislation. This Is to be done ON Che
basis OF a value to be determined ny
representatives OF the German Govern
ment. from whose award IL T. rol0r'.i
the oil company Is TO have no uIptt.
unless the State Department interced,s ~
get more favorable terms Tor mo com
pany
That the plan for an oil monopoly N7d
been revived by the German Govern.
ment was not generally known In Wash
| ington until the publicato on OF THE Sra
dispatches from Berlin to-day.
IL was recalled that more than a yost
ago during the Taft administration S.'
rotary Knox was called on 10 exert 80
force OF the state Department In b,ha'
| OF the Standard OIL Company in Ger
many against a similar plan.
Nothing definite came from the cam
paign at that time. however, - .-.
measure for the creation Of the Ht
! monopoly failed to get the support ~ '1"
Reichstag. The German Governm' M '..
not press the matter TO a final conrlus
and was apparently willing to drop % e.
soon as signs OF serious oppos'!yG ie
veloped.
1t was understood at the time that 'ha
financial aspects OF the PROPOSE U,ro ?.
spons.ble for Its failure to command OBJ.
support OF the Reichstag, Rumors N.I.
heard here to the effect that many MOI.
bers OF the Reichstag regarded the .0.
posal as an effort TO place In tile rA"tr o.
an already powerful financial group .
Germany a monopoly OF the oil bus moss
not certain TO be beneficial 10 thc g,
generally.
As matter OF fact the unders SAW.
here at that time was that the uD t.-'
was devised partly as a means OF a...'
Ing certain financiers who had lost H..t
IN ventures IN Rumanian and u'.'.
companies an opportunity TO rt.oN
| their losses
The Standard oil business IN G,r..a
II was declared had introduced Au-.
methods 10 such an extent as prH.'
! TO eliminate Its competitors, or B+ -.
! 10 prevent them from making sltI.
tory profits.
! The large scale system Of itrI.
ana distributing oil. familiar Tor
years In the United States, was U..
! In Germany, II was declared and Ir.r.
tremendous success enabling f.