Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-05-12
Gasoline Test
Violations to
Be Overlooked

Placing the responsibility for the
gasoline shortage now faced by Ore
gon on the special legislative session
for its failure to repeal the law reouir-
ing gasoline sold in this state TO meet
a test of 56 degrees specific gravity,
Governor Olcott in statemen. issued
this afternoon declares his Willingness
to go the limit of his authority in tid-
ing over the present emergency. Stats
Treasurer Hoff in a statement issued
as state sealer declares that the state
weights and measures department vii
suspend prosecutions where the Ian
governing the test of gasoline is vic.
lated until this situation is relieved.
Both statements were issued in re-
sponse to repeated appeals for relief
from the gasoline shortage from all
sections Of the state.
Emphasizing the seriousness of the
situation at the mouth of the Colum
bia, j. e. Roman. Astoria banker and
state representative from Clatsor
county, telephoned to state Treasurer
Hoff this afternoon proposing in be-
half of the fishing interests of Astoria
to defray the expenses of special leg
islative session for the annullment OF
the specific gravity test If such move
were necessary to bring about imme-
diate relief.
Reviewing the seriousness of the sit
uatlon, the law requiring the specific
gravity test, the failure Of the 1926
Legislature to afford relief and the ap.
peals for executive suspension of this
operation Of this act Governor Olcott
in his statement declares:
This office has been asked to sus
pend the operation Of the law. The
executive office, or any other branch
of the state government except tht
legislative branch, has. no authority
under the constitution or otherwise tc
suspend the operation of this law
When the legislature failed to function
by repeating Or amending the law, ave
nues for suspending its operation were
closed until the legislative authority
again has an opportunity to act.
THE constitution of the state, how
ever, as safeguard against situations
just such as the present one, or to rem
edy situations where grave injustice
may have been worked, has extended
to the executive office the power to
remit fines and to grant pardons. In
the light of such a constitutional pro-
vision have no hesitation In saying
that the people of the state should
have no cause to fear that their indus
tries will be crippled and their social
well being menaced through the oper'
alton of law which has outgrown its
usefulness and its place on the statute
books. Further. I see no reason why
the officials of the oil companies
should hesitate to go ahead and Inn
port into the state all of the gasoline
necessary to place our industries and
the operation Of cars back on a nor
NAL basis.
1T Is the duty Of the executive to
see that the laws are enforced. / also
conceive 1t to be his duty TO protect
the people Of the state as far as 1t lies
within his delegated powers against
damage or injury that might be sus-
tanned through the workings OF some
ill-advised and unnecessary statute.
and that Is just what I intend to do II
the occasion should arise.
"A review of the action Of the sDe-
cial legislative session on the measure
nronoein1 fhe reneal of the specific