The Washington herald., 1918-07-08
OIL COMMITTEE
SERVES WELL
War Body Under Bedford
Does Much for U. S.,
Says Holland.


tional service commission soon after
we entered into the war, one only has
been retained. That is the National
Petroleum War Service Committee.
1t may be that the service which
this committee has given has not at
tracted public attention as for In
stance the ship-building or the air
craft industries under Charles n.
Schwab and John ID. Ryan have done.
Nevertheless this committee has been
OF inestimable service to the govern
ment. because the procuring Of an
adequate supply of oil. and some OF
its by-products Is of as great i'm
portance to the government a. any
that follows utilization Of our raw
materials such as timber for ship
building and apparatus for aircraft
construction.
The chairman of this committee, A.
c. Bedford, who for some years was
president of the Standard Oil Com
pany of New Jersey. and who re-
signed that cfice SO that he might
accept the chairmanship Of the board.
is now regarded by the government
as especially qualified for the service
which the Petroleum War Service
Committee has accomplished, and is
still to perform while the war lasts.
Recognized as Master.
Mr.. Bedford gained recognition
some years ago as one OF the lead
ers OF great American industries.
He was a master of everything that
pertained to oil, production and the
utilization of crude oil for the vari-
Gus commercial products. It was
partly under his leadership that at
least 10 per cent of ALI the crude
oil that flows from the wells was so
handled as TO produce lubrieating
oil that passed into universal use.
Mr.. Bedford no sooner became
chairman of the Petroleum War
Service Committee than he perfected
what is now recognized as one of
the best organizations now engaged
in war service. His duties as chair
man of this committee have absorb
ed almost all of his time. Upon
him and his committee the govern
ment relies in great measure for
adequate supplies OF oil, and that re-
lance has not been misplaced.
This service, however. has in
volved some striking, almost drs-
matte, changes in the oil-producing
industry.
Before the United States entered
! into the war considerable competition
prevailed among the producers. After
wards. the heavy demands made by
the government for oil, and the grad
ually diminishing stock Of oil on hand
caused the reffners eagerly to seek
the producers 20 that they might OBJ
tain abundant supplies of oil for re-
fining purposes. This inevitably led
to competition and the heavy demand
was followed by increase in price.
Now under the leadership Of Mr..
Bedford this has been in great meas
ure changed and soon will be COM
pletely changed and 1t Is another
illustration of the new relations which
| industries bear to one another which
is traceable to the exigencies of the
war. that instead of competition,
sometimes intense, now under Mr..
Bedford's leadership there are CO.
| operation. coordination and agree-
ment respecting prices. Understand
ings OF this kind would before the
war and even now undoubtedly under
a strict Interpretation Of the Sherman
law. be declared by the courts If
appeal were made to them to be in
| violation of law.
But the government is compelled
not only to permit but to authorize,
, even to command. such action as
makes cooperation. coordination and
common agreement respecting produc-
ton and prices as complete as possi-
BILE.
At John ID. Rockefeller Table.
1t Is one OF the dramatic incidents,
OF which the war has furnished
many. that at the table at the head
OF which formerly sat John d. Rookie
feller or his personal representative
and around which were gathered the
subordinate executive officers who
met 70 discuss policies and methods
| having in view doubtless the su-
premacy OF the Standard OIL inter-
ests there now gather once a week in
the identical Office. at Is Broadway,
which will always be associated with
Mr.. Rockefeller's name, representa-
tives Of all the oil-producing COM
panies Of the United States. big and
little. In the chair at the right hand
of the one in which Mr.. Bedford sits
as chairman OF the Petroleum War
/ Service Committee, a representative
Of the government sits. The discus
sions that take place at this weekly
meeting are centered upon the best
methods OF maintaining and increas-
ing oil production and also OF bring
ing about perfect cooperation and
the establishment OF standard price
alike to all, between the various OIL
producing interests
Recently Mr.. Bedford. in the course
OF discussion in which this COM
mittee shared. stated that today and
until the war ends the chief, and in
fct the only, purpose which should
control the committee Is one which
will enable the government to have
the use OF the highest resources in
OIL Formerly there were competitive
methods depending upon the highest
efficiency, the lest economy and we'll
perfected distrioation systems where
by certain oil producers could main
tain supremacy over other producers.
Sometimes this resulted in unfor-
tunate experiences for the smaller
cording to Mr.. Bedford Is nov
changed. There must be no difference
between the big and the small rro-
ducers occasioned by competition.
There must be no competition. Fair
prices will be established for those
who market oil. but the prices Will
be the same in every case. In this
way the government can be best
aided. And IN this way more and
more production and better stabiliza-
ton Of it and the prices can be at
tanned.
There must have been some who
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