The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-08
Fields to Be Left in Hands
of Present Owners Under
a Cooperative Plan
HIGHER PRICES
TO BE DEMANDED
Transportation Problem to Be Settled
by Fuel Observation-Disclosures
Supplies for Pleasure Automobiles
Not to Be Cut OFF,


Supplies for Pleasure Automobiles
Not to Be Cut Of.
NEW YORK, March s.-Following
three days conference in this city |
with representatives of the oil indus
! try of the United States, Mark L. |
Requa, director of the oil division of
the federal fuel administration said
that there was no shortage of petro
| leum for immediate needs. He said
the chief problem at this time was in
creased production, since there was
plenty of oil in this country TO last dur
ing the period of the war, while, not
less important, was the problem of
400 per cent transportation.
Mr.. Requa made the positive state
ment that the government did not con-
template at this time taking over the
oil fields, since it was believed that
the best results could be obtained by
continuing the present owners in
charge of their properties. He init
mated that there would be a general
pooling of all facilities of the oil
industry, including transportation by
land and sea- In other words, Stand
ard Oil cars and tankers. along with
other appurtenances, would be put to
common use, whether the products to
be carried were those of the Rockefel-
Ter interests or those of independents.
1t was understood that a majority of
the oil men in conference with Mr.
Requa expressed the belief that higher
prices for petroleum products would
have to be granted if the government
desired the producers to materially in
crease output.
The impression was left that after
Mr.. Requa, who went to Washington.
has gone over the matter with the fuel
administration, an announcement will
he made as to the government 5 atti-
tude in the matter of higher prices.
Mr.. Requa met again with a group
OF oil men at a meeting held at the
u eliices of, the STANDARD Oil company Of
| New jersey, % Broadway. A. c. Bed
ford, chairman of the board of the
STANDARD Oil company of New Jersey,
who is also chairman of the petroleum
war service committee, presided, and q
dozen or more oil men from various
sections of the country VINO had not
taken part III the conferences held on
Monday and Tuesday. attended.
The oil director made it plain that
no DISPOSITION exists at this time t.
shut off supplies Of gasoline for pleas
urc automobiles. The circumstances
that England has been under the neces
sity of restricting the use of gasoline
or Mo Ir1t-
here. the director declared.
Mr.. Requas statement was in par
as follows:
Il have already said that there is M
shortage OF petroleum fer our imme
date needs il IS entirely a lack q
TRANSFORMATIONS OIL in Mexico or Texa
is obviously Of no value to the indus
tries Of the New England states unles
it can be transported to those points
1t is probably not an exaggeration I
say that the meeting of oil men VIII
met in conference here on Monday REP
resented the largest aggregation of OF
operators ever gathered together in tn
United States. Not even in the dav
of the Standard Oil company was S
much wealth represented
"There has been considerable di.
cussion as to cutting off the supply c
gasoline TO pleasure vehicles, follow
ing the precedent set III England; bu
~ the conditions are entirely dissimila
4 for the reason that England produce
no oil and has to rely entirely upon e,
4 ports overseas. The United States, O
the contrary, not only produces the o
for its own consumption, but large su
4 plus quantities for export. In the MAJ
ufacture OF fuel oil, which is so niue
i'll demand, gasoline must be produce
as a byproduct, for the reason that II
crude oil is, because of its flash poin
dangerous for fuel purposes until tt
gasoline is removed. We therefor
have as necessary adjunct to fuel 0
II The production of certain quantity
gasoline which must be disposed of
There is at this time no expectatio
that the government will take over al
operate the oil fields / believe tn:
detail of operation must be left in Il
hands of those men who are now G
gagged in directing the INDUSTRY if v
are to have the maximum result -
Mr. Requa referred to the Lever la
under which both the fuel and foe
administrations are operating, as gi
ing power to license the oil industr
commander oil, and, in fact, if occ
sion arose, to take almost any 9th
step necessary to meet the war /
quirementS Of the government The
rector said there must be speeding
of tank ear mileage.
The reference to pooling all
forests i'll the oil industry to win t
war was summarized in the stateme
as fellows:
1t is quite obvious tlat the oil t
cilites OF the United States must
used in such way as to produce t
maximum benefit viewed from a matte
al standpoint to meet the existing c
sis
1T has been demonstrated recent
that it is impossible to take oil for a
4 specific purpose without exerting
detrimental influence on some otl
branch of industry. The problem
whit IL least essential Is an tram,