The sun., 1918-09-29
Saving of Gasoline
Only One Phase of
His Efficient Mobil-
ization of Oil Indus
try for the War

nensity Of the undertaking, deliberately
set to work to construct an entirely new
theory for the conduct of future warfare.
And if those men could not pre-vlsualize
the task, how can you men of Oklahoma,
far removed from the strife, gain any real
comprehension Of the titanic struggle IN
which this nation is involvedf
"You will be hopelessly at sea if you
do not realize all of this; if you do not
approach this problem from an entirely
new point Of view; if you do not see that
the greatest triumph of democracy is the
ability of free people 10 surrender tenn
porarilv their individual initiative and
subject themselves TO rigid discipline en-
masse, to the end that they may achieve
victory, following which they may again
return to their accustomed method of in
dividualism which has been the glory and
the backbone and the upbuilding force Of
this nation"
Bedford's Appeal to Patriotism.
And Bedford when his turn came,
among other things, said these things:
THE oil industry is highly technical
business. 1t is, as you all realize, very
sensitive. For its successful prosecution
delicate balance is required.
1T is realized that the best results can
be obtained by having the oil industry
regulate itself because the practical oil
men know best its problems and their So
lutions. The oil men of the country, on
the other hand, have justly prided them
selves on their ability to regulate the in
dustry. and up to the; present they have
proved themselves right IN their eonten-
ton. .......
I'm helping to work out this problem
and in the consideration that you may
give it, may l ask that you do it in the
spirit which has enrolled this industry as
a part of the great industrial army at
home, and which shall merit the confidence
referred TO by President Wilson, who in
oil his uttcrances has voiced n deep and
sincere faith in the business and industrial
leaders of the nation. He has done so in
4 manner that has keyed their patriotism
TO the highest pitch, and has stirred them
10 exert all their physical, menta! and
moral qualities in support of the cause
OF liberty and honor
Triumph of Patriotism.
There are those who have known him
long who consider that Mr. Bedford's
speech at Tulsa was triumph of tact, and
accounts in great part for the fact that
the oil industry is still conducted by the
men who made it and not by Federal
administrator
But those who have known him longer
and better believe that the phrases at
Tulsa sprang not from tact but from pa
triotism; and that Mr.. Requa, himself a
sturdy patriot, let the oil men carry on
by themselves because he became con-
WINGED of their patriotism and the sim
cerity of their spokesman.
Perhaps he remembered Mr.. Bedford's
utterance the day he became president of
Standard Oil in 1916.
81 believe that an attitude of free and
open speech is beneficial to both corpora
tons end the public they serve So far
as may be possible I'm going to have an
open house here"
Perhaps he remembered that last April
the 10000 workers at the Bayonne and
other New Jersey plants were organized
into a republic of labor, that seventy of
their leaders dined with Mr. Bedford, and
that their wages within the two preceding
years had been raised "a per cent.
At all events, he knew that serving on
the National Petroleum War Service Com
mittee with Mr.. Bedford there were men
of all the companies who had once.been
the Standards bitterest opponents; that
these forces were working together har-
moniously, and that the committee was
producing results.
But did he foresee that when the time
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