Arizona republican., 1922-06-23
BY FREDERIC J. HAskIN

0y ~ s'ESfN''N
WASHINGTON. d. c., June co.
On the basis of the average daily
consumption for the year 1921, fig
ured at the recent price of 2S cents
per gallon, the annual gasoline bill
of the people of the United States
amounts TO almost S3,500,000. An
advance of one cent in the price adds
s12372638 To the daily gasoline bill
OF the nation, A few months ago
the price of gasoline was as low as
u cents The increase of seven
cents meant daily toll of 1855 0S4.66
levied on the consumers, which
amounts to the tidy sum of $316,120,-
10000 in a year.
During the first three months of
the present year the total average
daily consumption of gasoline, m
cluding export, was 11,SS9,S33 gal
Ions. while the daily production aver
aged I4612,4S7 gallons. On March !
the reserve stock on hand amounted
to approximately 854,000,000 gallons.
During the year 1921 the average
consumption was 13,SS4,313 gallons
per day, while production averaged
14,119,313.
Just why there should have been
this advance in the price OF gasoline
when there was an abundant supply
on hand and production was run
ming steadily ahead of consumption
may be explained in the course OF
the investigation by the senate COM
mittee on manufactures. 1t may de-
yelop that there was good and suffl-
cient reason for the advance, which
hits almost every man, woman ana
child in the United States directly
or indirectly.
On the other hand the inquiry
may prove that there is ample ground
for the suspicion in the minds or
some members of the congress that
the price has been moved upward
because the producers of gasoline
saw their opportunity to profiteer
and have been taking full advantage
of it.
At any rate, in view Of the general
decline in wages in all industries and
in all localities, it is not expected
that the substantial addition to the
nations daily and annual gasoline
bill will be attributed to increased
labor costs. Labor in this instance
may escape the indictment that has
been brought against it repeatedly IN
connection with the problem of hlgh
prices since the early days of the
European war
In the Good Old Days
IN Ile SOOQ Olu NdSS SdoOiAllC
at third the present price and II
is no tax at all upon the memory TO
recall when the price was from IL TO
is cents per gallon. In fact, it was
only seven or eight years ago that
such prices obtained. Between July,
1914, and July, 1916, however, tne
price advanced 20 per cent. rms
sharp advance was attributed by au
thorities to increased demand, ana
was not ascribed to increased PRO-
duction costs. On the contrary; the
greater demand was said to nave
stimulated improvements in produc-
ton methods such that it might nave
been assumed that production costs
would be reduced
In congressional circles there are
those who see a direct connection
between the high price of gasoline
and the enormous earnings OF the
Standard Oil company. together Win
it's subsidiary and associated inter
ests, and other oil producers OF the
country. Senator McKellar OF Ten
nessee was the first to introduce
resolution calling for an investlsa-
tion, and it was adopted promptly py
the senate on May 13. Later, Sena
tor LaFollette of wisconsin, VINO is
the chairman Of the committee
charged with conducting the inquiry
introduced another resolution WhlcH
gives the investigators wider iatl-
tude and greater authority in order
that the job may be thorough one,
The LaFollette resolution may pe
said to be a drastic one, permitting
the committee to summon witnesses,
subpoena documents, papers and rec
ords of all kinds, and to employ
counsel to-aid in getting to the DOT
tom of the subject. 1t is to be taken
for granted that the oil and gasollne
interests will be represented at the
investigation by an array OF at.or-
neys and experts such as is seldom
brought together. and the Wisconsin
senator has said that he wants the
best legal assistance in the country
in order to make sure that the pup
lie interest is safeguarded.
With millions of automobiles, mo-
torcycles, trucks, tractors. motor
boats airplanes and stationary gas
engines of various kinds in opera :
tion in the United States. and with
the owners of them all buying gaso-
line every day, it is obvious that m
terest in the LaFollette investigation
will be widespread Moreover, the
use of gasoline enters into the pleas
ures and recreations of large part