The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-06-23
independents Urged
10 Aid Investigation

investigation of the leasing of
the naval oil reserves with which ,s
coupled the reason for the recent cd
Vances in gasoline, has been orderad h.,
,he senate and will proceed under the
uirection OF the committee on manufac.
tures which is headed by Senator In
roiiette' The independence of the sen.
ator from Wisconsin is well known ora
sohetimes misjudged. In this case he
mas stated that the investigation would
be full and free and by Implication n,
ie'st' that the ruling will be in accord.
ahce with the evidence which will ba
sought-from all sources.
me Independent oil Industry shouId
NOT De misled by any fear OF results
from offering its testimony for no find.
ing by this committee, IL il seeks the
truth fearlessly, can do the indenand.
en's harm' They should interest them.
serves only to see to it that the facts
as presented before the senatorial In.
Vestigating committee are facts. M,
only facts as far as they 20. but tho
complete story OF the petroleum indus.
Try Tree from suppression or distortion
Highly paid legal minds can make block
seem white and white black before such
committees. See to il, as independent
oil men, that true light is thrown on
situation that is one OF Increasing
hardship for the independents. not only
OF present hardship but Of daily fear ~
complete ruin to follow. No ;ndepend.
ent oil company feels sure that 1t will
be IN business a month from TODAY.
except on the grace OF its chief com.
petitor' who may not always be era.
cious.
There Is no fear like the terror of
the unknown. Let the truth be known
not only regarding the naval reserves
and the price OF gasoline. but why. ac.
cording to the figures OF a highly or.
ganlzed reporting service. there was
but 40 per cent OF the refining capacity
OF the mId.continent field operating.
causing. II Is alleged. a scarcity Of gaso.
line that forced the prices to higher
levels? IL this Is The truth il can harm
no one to have Il known. least Of all
the independent oil man. Why were
not these idle refinerles operating 10
the same capacity as other refineries7
Ihere must be a reason for il.
II 1t was because the prices OF gas.
oline were so low last year that the re.
liners went broke. then let us have the
real cause OF the strong arming OF the
price OF mid'continent crude down from
$3.50 to sl.O0 a barrel Just before the
season OF greatest demand and back TO
$500 a barrel when the need for a
higher price was greatest in the inyen.
tories Of the largest organizations.
Our martyred Lincoln said that this
nation cannot stand half free and half
slave. Can the oil industry continue
half independent and half Standard
When the lion and the lamb lie down
together in the epic Of the independent
petroleum Industry, which has been 10.
nah and which the whale1 IL may be
that IL the independent industry will
insist on frank and complete presen.
tation OF facts before this senatorial
committee, II Il will not be deluded by
whispered warnings OF "lnopportune.
and "ill advised. and great damage to
the industry" Il may get some relief.
There is but one more step in the future
OF the independent petroleum industry.
It must be either upward toward free.
dom or downward towards the final
stages OF ultimate extinction. This in.
vestigation. which in a way may have
been born OF political cupidlty may be
yet 30 directed and assisted. n the
independent oil men 10 will. that It may
free them from tho constant threat OF
that final squeeze which precedos the
end. Which shall II be. n manful fight
with success assured 30 long as the
fight is made In honor and for an hon.
est end or slavish subservience to the
ayrant whim OF the bllllon.doiar com.
hinaiIon7 II Is for the independent oil
man to decide and that quichly--Na.
sional Petroleum Marketers' Assn. Bul.
letin-