Arizona republican., 1922-01-22
PROTEST FILED
AGAINST OIL
TARIFF BY 3-A

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21--(Special)
believing that the proposed tariff
of 25 cents barrel on crude oil. 25
cents a barrel on fuel oil, and the
proposed 81 to SO tariff on asphalt if
successful would materially and ad-
verSely affect the individual automo-
bile owners of the country and add to
their already heavy upkeep, mainten-
ance and taxation burdens. the Amer
iican Automobile association has en-
tered a vigorous protest against these
proposals.
Speaking in behalf OF the owners of
more than ten million motor vehi-
cles, the A. A. A representative ap-
peared before the United States
senate committee on finance and
made it plain that the A. A. A. would
fight to the last ditch any proposal
designed to take any more revenue
from the motor car. While the A.
A. A. representatives went before the
committee prepared to combat only a
35 cents a barrel tax on crude oil,
they learned that certain interests
extent of 81 barrel.
In presenting argument against a
tariff on oil, 1t was pointed out by
million automobiles are owned in the
United States. or more than SO per
cent of all the automobiles in the
world, in contrast with which less
than 16 per cent of the worlds oil
supply is located in the United
States. Further facts presented by
the A. A. show that while the United
States holds this less than 16 per
cent of the worlds oil sources. it is
furnishing two-thirds OF the world s
annual requirements and at the same
time consuming more than three
fourth's of the worlds total produc-
tion which, 1t was pointed out. makes
it necessary for Uncle Sam to import
more than 20 per cent to meet his
own needs. It was asserted that any
tariff which would prohibit or re-
strict the flow of oil to this country
would affect adversely, in some form,
nearly every citizen within it's bor-
ders.
Some OF the other points made by
the A. A. A. against a tariff are
as follows:
conservative estimate of the In
crease in the price Of gasoline de-
rived from Mexican oil. resulting
from the proposed tariff. reaches
from 35 cents to cents per gallon
and therefore, the entire gasoline
supply would bear an additional bur-
den cost of about 100000, ,O00 This
burden would fall upon the consum-
ers who are the American owners of
automobiles, over 10 million in num-
Der; the American owners of other
gas engines, over 100000 in num-
ber: American farmers owning 400,-
600 farm tractors; and the American
users of kerosene, which in one form
or another finds its way into almost
every one of the 25.000.000 America%
homes.
"If the production and sale of mo-
tor vehicles continues to increase in
the future as in the past 10 years it
is not unlikely that we shall soon be
compelled to purchase immense
quantities of oil in foreign countries.
"A tariff on oil would place a
premium on the rapid depletion of
this one of our greatest natural re-
sources; furthermore it would enable
and encourage foreign countries to
monopolize foreign supplies of Pc
troleum.
"The use Of the automobile. the
truck, the tractor and the gasoline
stationary engine Las become a vital
and necessary factor in the individ-
ual and industrial life Of the nation.
To impose additional cost on the in
dividual. as well as industry general
ly, at a time of severe industrial de-
preston. would be to tax the nation
for the benefit Of q few who do not
need help. and to commit an econo-
mic and, therefore. a political wrong
"Since this tariff on oil was pro-
posed by its advocates in the house
Of representa- tives, the price Of crude
oil in the Mid Continent field has in
creased from 80 cents to 1925 a har-