San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-02
RECU[A T|0N Of
OIL IMDUST TRY.
UPT0C0NCRESS
Whether Federal Control
Shall Be Exercised to
Be Live Issue.
STATES ALREADY ACT
Nobody Would Be Sur
prised If Sweeping inves-
tigation Undertaken.

Washington, d. c., Sept. THAT
the next session Of Congress will be
asked to deal in some manner with
the oil situation in the United States
is considered foregone conclusion by
those with an ear to the ground in
Washington. Continued fighting be-
tween various elements engaged in the
oil industry from production to mar
keting seems destined to throw the
whole business wide open to a far
reaching and sweeping inquiry.
Whether the outcome will be federal
control of the oil industry is an open
question. That the oil resources are
in danger of being wasted and extravi-
gantly marketed is more or less or an
open secret. The governor of Okla
hOma already has declared that be will
not permit further waste of OKLA
homa's great natural resource and
there are nearly a dozen states en-
gagged in investigating or otherwise
seeking to deal with the gasoline sit
uation which is in chaotic condition.
Shot to pieces" is the way some
of the oil men are characterizing the
oil business. That this is an exag-
geration is well known to those who
are veterans Of the business. But there
is no question whatever that the oil
industry is in for a period of reor-
ganization and that the outcome will
be the possible elimination Of numer-
GUS factors that now figure in the pro-
duction and marketing of petroleum.
Looking Into Oil Business.
1t is said that agents of the De-
partment of Justice at Washington
have already started tentative in
quiries in various sections of the coun-
try and have called upon a number
of the outstanding figures in the oil
industry for data concerning the exist |
ing state of affairs. Primarily they
seek to ascertain if there is or has
been unfair and unlawful manipula-
ton, competition or methods in the
handling of oil, refining and market
ing and other branches of the business.
BY the time congress convenes ito
may be possible that the adjustments
now under way may have proceeded |
to point where need for investigation |
will no longer exist. That the out
come of the present situation will be
more normal condition in the oil
business than has been known for
some years is predicted In some cir
cles, the belief being expressed TINT
the oil man will straighten out his
own affairs if allowed to DO so with
out too much official. prompting.
However, regulatory measures or in
Quiries are in process Of formulation
in the following states: California,
Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, In
diana. Minnesota, Kentucky. LOUISE
ana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South
Dakota. Oklahoma. Texas.
Want Cheaper Gasoline.
The principal topic under discussion
or investigation in most localities IS
the price of gasoline retailed in the !
various states which shows such a
wide variance for the whole country.
This comes into more intimate con-
tact with the public and the universal
demand is for cheaper gasoline. How
ever, il is generally conceded that no
representative inquiry is possible into,
gasoline without going into the entire
oil situation.
Leaders in the industry assert the
present chaotic condition is chiefly the
result of supply, demand and transpor-
tation charges and thst it will right
itself il allowed to do so. II is point
ed out that conditions such as the
present and even worse, have occurred
in the oil business before and that
many INQUIRIES and investigations fail
ed to solve any of the problems pre-
sented.
At all events. those engaged in the
oil business should not be surprised TO
see this industry the target for con-
nrnScinncl anfinr OF thn nat soscion