The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-14
PROBE OF GASOLINE
 PRICE CONCLUDED
Hearings Before Special
 Commission Ended
INDEPENDENTS HEARD
Unanimous in Charging Standard Oil Co. With Responsibility for De- moralizatiOn of the Industry.
 No Competition Among Units

Washington June 13.-The federal trade commission concluded today its investi- gation of the rise of gasoline prices, ending a two days final hearing after representatives of Standard Oil and va rious independent companies had diver gent explanations of the present sit uation in the industry. A report based on the hearings and on the results of weeks of investigation by the commits sions s agent, will be made publis soon and will be transmitted to Congress in re- sponse to resolution asking for an in- quiry.
 INDEPENDENTS HEARD
 The independent jobbers and refiners who appeared before the commission to- day and yesterday were virtually unani- nous in placing the responsibility for the increases on the Standard Oil com panies, who they charged had refused to compete and had fixed prices. Stand ard Oil representatives replied to the charges but did not enter into an ex- planation of the elements behind the soar ing cost of gasoline to consumers.
 Demoralization in the industry through out the middle west independent jobbers declared, had resulted from the failure of the Standard Oil company of Indiana to compete with the Standard Oil com pany of Ohio, which, by maintaining a retail price several cents higher than that fixed in the west by the Indiana company charged that they were being put out of business by inability to get oil.
 John G. Miburn, counsel for the Stand ard Oil company of New Jersey, and R. W. Stewart a director of the Indiana corporation, declared the Indiana and Ohio concerns were not influenced by a common directorate, but said it would be bad business judgment for them to compete.
 Tt would cost half million dollars to establish filling stations and selling agencies in Ohio'' Mr. Stewart said "The Ohio company, which now enjoys few cents advantage, would immediately re- duce it's price, and the Indiana concern would have an advantage in selling and no way to recover the money spent in sales equipment.
 BLAMES INDEPENDENTS
 c. B. Carson. sales manager for the Consumers Refining company, told the commission that the independent job bers, by price-cutting, had forced the re- liners to look for the best market pos sble and were themselves responsible for divertng the mid-continent oil to the Ohio buyers.
 Virtual admission by the Standard Oil representatives that there is no competi- tion among various Standard Oil units in the sale of gasoline will be incorporated in the commissions report, officials said tonight, as a partial answer to anotherI Senate resolution calling for investigation of the present relation between thel Standard Oil companies A department of justice investigation of the relation be- tween the companies since the dissolution decree went into effect was halted when the trade commission took up it's investi- gation. Information along that line gath cred by the commission has been turned over to the Attorney General
 A later report will go fully into the relation between the Standard Oil com panies and on it the department of jus tice will base any action it may take