The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-06-21
Related Industry Is
Misleading The Public

The lack of knowledge on the part
Of the general public Of the details of
the petroleum industry, particularly the
cost Of operations and other important
factors closely related to the market
que ations on crude and its products,
is being preyed upon by the Chicago
Motor club, as noted by an advertise
ment which recently appeared in Chi
cago publications over the name of the
organization. Either the writer OF the
advertisement is ignorant of the oil
business, or else the charge that the
officials OF the club are commercial
izing their organization is true. An
industry so closely related to the pc
troleum world as is the automobile bus
mess, should have as its publicity men
persons who have an intimate knowl.
troleum Marketers association writes of
the advertisement as follows:
The Chicago Motor club, which has
been charged by some clubs with com
mercializing" the automobile clubs, re.
Gently published an advertisement in
attention Of oil men. Locally quite
number of oil men are members of the
Chicago Motor club and they have eX-
pressed themselves as intending to
make very strong representations TO the
officers of the club as 10 the real facts
in connection with the increase in the
price of gasoline.
The advertisement read as follows
and was printed in the Chicago Trib
une and other papers last week:
rs Gasoline Too High?
The American Automobile associa.
ton, at its annual convention in st.
Louis, pointed out that the price of
gasoline is higher than conditions war
rant.
The Bureau of Mines reports a sur
plus Of $50 coo, 900 gallons OF gasoline
on hand in April, a 20 per cent larger
stock than last year. Despite this con-
dition prices throughout the country
range from "a to 81 cents per gallon,
an increase Of 20 per cent.
Through its membership in the A.
A. A., the Chicago Motor club is back
ing the campaign for a gasoline price
investigation by the director OF trade
and Commerce or the president OF the
United States.
This is the kind OF work that makes
membership in the Chicago Motor club
sound investment
The advertisement is altogether mis-.
leading and deceptive. That congress
should order the president of the Unit
ed States TO make an investigation of
the price OF gasoline is absurd. The
animus of the advertisement Is contain.
ed in the concluding paragraph which
is a bid for members at a price which
will be worth their while, Their argu'
ment is much like that Of q trade
union leader who brings on a strike
that he may show much good C) he
is accomplishing for his members. This
Is part OF the advertisement that should
be noted.
The surplus that the Bureau Of Mines
noted on the first day of April was sup
posedly 20 per cent larger than last,
How about the coming demand? The
business was depressed last year, the
demand per car being less than normal.
This year there are 10 per cent more
cars at least and the consumption per
car is supposedly to be normal. The
stock which the refiners had accumu'
lated was only in anticipation OF a de
mand which promises TO be sreater
than last year by very material per
centage.
The smaller percentage OF large
number may exceed the larger percent
age Of smaller amount The amount
of gasoline on hand at the time quoted
was 20 per cent OF about 700 900 gallons
This would amount roughly to 100000
O0O gallons. The consumption was over
1000 900 900 gallons last year and II the
demand Is only 10 per cent larger than
year ago, the added consumption will
exceed iiO ,O0O, 900 gallons. Were not
the refiners acting wisely In trying
to accumulate some additional supplies
for the coming summer
According to the OIL City Derrick, on
the LIST OF MAY there We're In operation
but 40 per cent OF tho refiners In the
mld.continent field. Why We're there
so few operating? Simply because they
had lost too much money last year TO
operate their plants today There are
many plants that ara idlo simply be-
cause the owners cannot secure the
cash 10 pay for the crude and the pro
Queer. knowing the condition OF many
reflners. wants his money In advance
before he will run the refinery "a supply
to use In the production OF gasoline.
Plant after plant has gona broke
through trying to refine gasoline and
other products at last years prices,
which were less than the actual cost
OF production. Nothing was stated OF
this In the advertisement OF the Chicago
Motor club.
What was the cost OF crude last year
During the operating season IL was sl,oo
a barrel and even the motor clubs
might know that much. Possibly they
did but IL was not their side OF the
argument. In fact the argument In
totally one.sided and unfair from be.
ginning to end. oil men are common.
ly members OF their local and nearby
clubs and u would be we'll for them TO
make full explanation to the officials
of the clubs and also to take up the
matter with their daily papers and see
that xvhat A. nrirted IL the truth OF