Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-06-23

washington. juno 23.--On tho basis
of the average daily consumption Tor
tho year 1921. figured at the recent
price Of 28 cents per gallon, tho an
nual gasoline bill OF the people of tho
United States amounts to almost $s.-
SOC, 900. An advance Of one cent In
the price adds t123,726.38 TO the daily
gasoline bill Of tho nation. few
month. ago tho price OF gasoline was
as low as 21 cents. The increase OF
seven cents has meant a daily toll OF
ss66,084s6 levied on the consumers,
which amounts 10 the tidy sum q
s31s.12o. 10000 In n year.
During the first three months OF the
present year the total average daily
consumption OF gasoline. including ex-
port, was lf.8S3.s33 gallons. while the
daily production averaged l4.6l2,9s1
gallons. On March the reserve stock
on hand amounted TO approximately
S54, 900 900 gallons. During the year
1921 the average consumption was
15. 1913 gallons per day, while pro-
duction averaged 14.11s,S13.
Just why there should have been this
advance in the price OF gasoline when
there was an abundant supply on hand
and production was running steadily
ahead of consumption may be eK-
plained in tho course Of the investi-
cation by the Senate Committee on
Manufacturers. II may develop that
There was good and sufficient reason
for the advance. which hits almost
every man, woman and child In the
United States directly or indirectly.
On tho other hand. the inquiry may
prove that there IL ample ground for
the suspicion In the minds of some
members Of the Congress that the prics
has been upward because the pro
ducers of gasoline saw their oppor-
tunity TO proflteer and have beer
taking fun advantage of -.
At any rate, IA view Of the genera
decline In wages IN all Industries anC
in all localities. II is not expected
that the substantial addition 70 IN
nations daily and annual gasoline
bill will be attributed 10 increase,
labor costa. Labor. in this instance
may escape the indictment that ha
been brought against It repeatedly Fl
connection with tho problem Of higl
prices since the early days Of tn
European war.
In the Good Old Days.
In the good old days gasoline sol
4. at a third the present price and
; I is no tax at all upon the memory Z
; recall when the price was from 10 I
is cents per gallon. In fact. It wa
r only seven or eight years ago the
. such prices obtained. Between Jul
- 1914 and July 1915, however. tn
e price advanced 70 per cent Til
I sharp advance was attributed by al
thorities to increased demand, an
was not ascribed TO increased pro
Z duction costs. On the contrary, m
!. greater demand was said 70 hav
s stimulated improvements in produt
!, ton methods ouch that It misi
# have been assumed that producic
: costs would be reduced.
o In Congressional circles there ~
: those who gee direct connection b.
tween the high price Of gasoline ar
: the enormous earnings Of the Standa,
4 OIL Company, together with It's sui
= sidiary and associated interests, ar
: other oil producers OF the countr
r Senator Mcclellan. Of Tennessee, y;
= the first TO introduce a resolution cal
n ing for an investigation, and It W;
Y adopted promptly by the Senate {
: Nay 13. Later. Senator Ia FolIetr
Of Wisconsin. who Is the chairman
-ha -h
:. ing the inquiry. introduced anoth
n resolution which gives the investiga
ors wider latitude and greater autho
- ity in'order that the Job may be-
- thorough one.
The La Toilette resolution may
- said 70 be a drastic one. per1nittir
the committee TO summon w1tnesse
- subpoena documents, papers and re
- ords Of al kinds. and TO employ cou,
sci 70 aid in getting to the bottom
"a the subject Il is TO be taken for gra
y ed that the oil and gasoline interes
y Will be represented at the investigate
by an array Of attorneys and exper
Is such as Is seldom brought togeth.
n and the Wisconsin Senator has sa
l. that he wants the best LEGAL assis
IS ance in the country in order 20 ma
o. sure that the public interest Is SAT
l- guarded.
With millions OF automobiles, m
E. torcycles. trucks. tractors. motor boa
c. airplanes and stationary gas engin
I'd of various kinds in operation in I
be United States. and with the owners
CT them all buying gasoline every day,
I'd is obvious that interest in the
III Toilette investigation VIII be vic
2 spread. Moreover. the use OF gasoli
o. enters into the pleasures and recre
tions Of a large part OF the popu
as ton. as well as into their businc
? activities Hence anything Affect
: 1t OF the price Of 1t is doubly importa
re Once a Waste Product.
a Gasoline. like all other products
ar crude petroleum. WIS for g. long ii
disposed Of as waste in the effort
make kerosene. IL was there and
had to come out. Representing aim
the hghtest component Of crude
gasoline is extracted by a distilli
process. just as whisky is produt
and in much the same sort Of appa,
tus. Ii is OF a highly volatile uatu