Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-06-23
$3,5OO,OOO is
SPENT IN u. S.
FOR GASOLINE
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

Washington. June 22,-On the
basis of the average daily consump-
ton for the year 1921, figured at
the recent price or % cents per
gallon, the annual gasoline bill of
the people of the United States
amounts to almost $S.500,000. An
advance of ! cent in the price adds
23,726SS to the daily gasoline
bill of the nation. A few month S
ago the price of gasoline was as
low as 81 cents. The increase of
Z cents has meant a daily toll of
SS66,OS4.66 levied on the consum-
ers, which amounts to the tidy sum
of s31G,120,900.9 in a year.
During the first three months of
the present year the total average
daily consumption OF gasoline. in
GLIDING export, was 11,SS3.S33 gall
Ions, while the daily production
averaged 14,G12,4S7 gallons. On
March / the reserve stock on hand
amounted to approximately S54,-
100000 gallons. During the year
1921 the average consumption was
1S,SS4,S13 gallons per day. while
production averaged 14,119.S13.
Just why there should have been
this advance in the price of gaso-
line when there was an abundant
supply on hand and production was
running steadily ahead Of con-
sumption may be explained in the
course OF the investigation by the
senate committee on manufactures.
1t may develop that there was good
and sufficient reason for the adj
vance, which hits almost every
man, woman and child in the Unit
ed States directly or indirectly.
On the other hand. the inquiry
may prove that there Is ample
ground for the suspicion in the
minds of some members of the con-
gress that the price has been moved
upward because the producers of
gasoline saw their opportunity to
profiteet and have been taking full
advantage of 1t.
At any rate, in view OF the gen
eral decline In wages In all INDUS
tries and In all localities, 1t Is not
expected that the substantial addi-
ton to the nations daily and an
nual gasoline bill will be attributed
to increased labor costs. Labor. In
this instance, may escape the In
dictment that has been brought
against 1t repeatedly In connection
with the problem Of high prices
since the early days Of the Euro
pean war.
In the Good Old Days.
In the good old days gasoline
sold at third the present price
and 1t is no tax at all upon the
memory to recall when the sprlce
was from IL to 6 cents per gallon.
In fact, 1t was only seven or eight
years ago that such prices pre-
vailed. Between July, 1914. ana
July, 1915, however. the price ad-
yanced 10 per cent. This sharp ad-
vance was attri buted by authorities
TO increased demand, and was not
ascribed to increased production
costs. on the contrary, the greater
demand was said to have stimu-
lated Improvements in production
methods such that 1t might have
been assumed that production costs
would be reduced.
In congressional circles there are
those WHO see n dibtt NollhNNit'ii
between the high price OF gasollne
and the enormous earnings OF the
STANDARD Oil company. together
with its subsidiary and associated
interests, and other oil producers
of tho country. Senator Mcclellan
OF Tennessee was the first to in
troduce a resolution calling for an
investigation, and it was adopted
promptly by the senate on May 10.
Later, Senator La Toilette OF WIS
cousin who is the chairman of the
committee charged with conducting
the inquiry, introduced another
resolution which gives the investi-
gators wider latitude and greater
authority in order that the job may
be a thorough one.
The La Toilette resolution may
be said to be a drastic one, permit
ting the committee to summons
witnesses, subpoena documents,
papers and records of all kinds, and
to employ counsel to aid in getting
to the bottom of the subject. 1t liz
to be taken for granted that the oil
and gasoline interests will be rep
resented at the investigation by an