Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-03-17
GASOLINE SUPPLY
WILL BE AMPLE
Authoritative Statements Sc.
cured by Motor
Company.
COMBINATION IS URGED
But There is no Reason Why
Motor Cars in the U. S.
Should Quit Running.

what is the truth about gasoline? =?
Just this
q. There is no shortage Of IT,
There will be no shortage In the
near future.
America ls able 10 produce plenty
81 ~ Rasoline for the war needs OF her
Allies and herself. for domestic COM
mercial uses. and FOR all reasonable
uses Of the passenger motor car
which are tho only uses to which "A
valuable vehicle ought ever TO be
dsyOied.
on july 90. 1917. A. G. Bedford,
then newly appointed to tho import
ant post OF chairman OF the petro-
l.um committee OF the council of
national defense, issued "A clear,
5 plsln statement about gnsoline. lie
said: inlIH
should be Economical.
"First: TIE public will have to
,ronomiza In the use of gasoline.
sufficient gasoline should be@aNnil-
able TO provide for all the normal
uses Of automobiles. But pleasure
riding should he Curtailed people
should look upon their automobiles
as necessities--to lie used only when
needed. Not n gallon OF gasoline
should he used In the present cmer-
rency except for some useful end
SECOND: Every oil producer In
the country should be encouraged
asa patriotic effort to secure the
o utmost possible output of crude oil"
There was nothing intlammatory
about that statement. II was wise
and reasonable. But within a month
II WAS distorted and twisted until
It's own author couldn't recognize IT,.
And despite reassurinV statements -
and reassurlng conditions-fOllow
ing each other every few days since
July a. last, the rumor monger
and not the oil driller or tho oil re-
finer. has had his way with the sub
iect OF gasoline. MIR. Bedford him
sen finally gave up trying to con
tradict the misinterpretations Snnd
right the mlsoonstructlous set upon
his original statement.
on August II, 1917, Van r. Man
ming. director OF the bureau OF
mines in the United States depart
ment OF the interior evidently In an
effort to settle the hubbub that had
arisen about gasoline. Issued a state
mdnt in which. after reciting four
primary rules OF motor using, which,
would save gasoline he said
Need Not Lay Up Cars.
Automobile owners need not lay
up cars. but should use them either
for trade or personal purposes
thotfully and judiciously. II this
advice Is followed there will be no
undue scarcity: for the United
States possesses an abundant supply
for ordinary purposes"
These two government Officers
one Of them head of the Standard
OIL company OF New Jersey agreed
on both the wisdom OF economiZing
gasoline and the sufficiency OF the
supply for the usual puTpQses OF
motorists But neither OF them
could make any headway against
the fanclful tales Of the rumor
monger and the gloom dispenser,
and right down to this date tFeb-
rutry I. 1879 the stories OF gas
oline shortage that menaces the mo-
tor industry and the motor life OF
America persist. have no hope Of
stopping them with this little ar
tlCle, with the fates of Messrs
Bedford and Manning before me
But TO ascertain for the Packard
Motor Car company. from as com
petent a source as could be reached,
the exact situation on gasoline. |
called on Mr. j. A. Moffatt. seCre-
tary TO Mr.. Bedford. at the offices
Of the Standard OH com pany or
New Jersey. rs Broadway, New
York. on January 9. 1918 and asked
him II he could confirm as coming
from Mr.. Bedford statement
which we already had. lie replied
that he could. and that further he
could arrange FOR personal inter
view for me with Mr.. Bedford
Within five minutes that was done.
and Mr. Bedford himself gave me
The following statement;
What should be borne In mind II
hat petroleum products. and par
ucularlv gasoline while vltally es-
sential 10 the uses OF the war. also
have other uses intimately related
10 the comfort and satisfaction Of
! our daily lives. II can he said easily
mat we could get along without the
automobile. The same could be saia
ot the telephone. But we know
mat without these instruments OF
civilization, the horizon OF our life
would be greatly reduced and much
" the efficiency and happiness Of
our civilization would be curtalled.
Ihe automobile has come to he not
mere article OF luxury To the rich
man, II has come 20 be a necessity
% the merchant and the mRnufac-
urer In the cities. TO the farmer on
We plains, and TO the miner In the
mountains. The automobile indus
Wy has become one Of our great ma
uonal assets. contributing enor-
mously TO the progress OF civiliza-
ton itself:
shipping Cause OF Shortage.
IN Is true that some countries.
notably England and France. have
had toAry greatly saurtail the prl-
Iste usSn .gasolindS understand
mat IN England, for instance,
whereas before the war rs per cent
VI gasoline was consumed by pri-
ate uses at the present tyne prl-
,A'e consumption has practically
,,sased. the supply being used by
a e government In the direct con
ouel Of the war.
but the reason for that II not 80
Ih uVh the small amount OF gasoline
,nssole, but the scarcity OF the
mage necessary 10 ship II in.
7Ns''nsr England nor France has