Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-09-08

seeking to eliminate all competition,
In which event the state should use
all means within its power to prevent
the ruination Of any sources Of sup
ply or the control of such supply by
any one organization.
8. The motorists of the country do
not expect gasoline at price that
is too low to allow business to make
legitimate profit. 1t believes. how
ever, that many sections of the coun-
try are charged prices that are unfair
and entirely unjustified when prices
from the same source in other states
are considered.
0. Inasmuch as gasoline is pro-
duced largely from lands which are
now. or have been owned by the gov
eminent, the federal government is
largely to blame for allowing private
interests to exploit the public oil
fields except at a cost that Is reason
able and fair to the public.
10. If apparent price discrimina-
ton continues 1t is presumptive evil
dence that more than fair profits are
being made. and the National Motor
lists Association will insist that laws
be passed to prevent such unfair bus
mess practices and that they be
strictly enforced.
II. The National Motorists Asso-
citation urgently recommends that the
states in which gasoline price dis
elimination is apparently being prac-
ticed should begin an immediate in
vestigation to determine whether the
law is being violated and to take
such steps as may be possible by
such state to reduce such prices to
rate that is fair to the public. That
all attempts at price manipulation
should be prevented both by federal
and state laws and wherever exist
ence of such manipulation is appar-
ent prosecution should be Instituted
and convictions secured.
70. Gasoline expectation should be
regulated and curtailed. II necessary,
so that the American public can frst
| obtain this natural product at a fair
and reasonable figure.
10. All possible cooperation should
be given by the federal government
for reaching oil fields that are not
now tapped and control of these re-
serves should be maintained by the
federal government so that reason
able prices may be assured the puphc
| at all times.
IA. Cooperation should he received
at all times by all oil interests 10
| make possible the expeditions ana
economic transportation OF petrol
cum and its refined products. Con-
sideration should he given particular
" to freight rates which will allow all
oil organizations to find ready mar
ket for their productions throughout
all sections of the United States.
IS. The United States Govern
ment through it's Bureau Of Mines,
should control all basic patents for
the production of gasoline, so as to
prevent a monopoly by any one group
or groups of oil interests.
rs. The Department OF Justice. the
Legal Bureau Of the Department OF
Commerce, the Interstate Commerce
Commission and the Department OF
the Interior should make a combined
effort to salve the existing problems
with regard to gasoline supplies ana
prices.
The Research Board Of the Nation
al Motorists Association reports that
great assistance can be rendered the
nrasent effort to reduce prices of gas
nIine nv conservation by all motor
tets in the use Of gasoline: that this
does not mean conserving the use or
the motor vehicle, but that over ''
nercent of the automobiles OF the
country are operating with 1au''v
contractors and accumulated carbon
denosits in the cylinders OF motors.
which if corrected will save over 20
percent OF the gasoline now used and
will have a great tendency to reduce
nrices. 1t is conservatively estimated
that over $50, 900. 900 gallons of gaso-
line can be saved per year in TINS
way. ,
This fact has been brought strictly
to the attention OF all automobile
clubs throughout the country in the
campaign now being waGed by the
n. NJ. A. AS pointed out by the Re-
search Board of the National BODY.
conservation OF this character would
mean a larger saving than the aver
age saving which has now been
brought about by the present price
disturbance