Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
ASSERTSAUT0|ST
FIXES GAS PRICE
N. M. A. Official Says Driver,
Controlling Demand, Can
Prevent Increases.

penouncing radical plans for the
prevention Of gasoline price increases
as uneconomic and deploring the
apathy of the public toward the re-
bound in gasoline prices the National
Motorists Association. through its
headquarters here at the National
Capital. has taken the stand that the
motorist can Offset the effect of ris-
ing prices, or even prevent them, IL
he really wants to.
He can do this by means Of thrift
in the use of gasoline. according to
a conclusion reached by the y. NJ A.
committee on gasoline.
Thrift has been completely ignored
by the motorist during the past few
months of low gas prices, according
10 Fred II. Galley, executive secretary
OF the y. NJ. y. AS soon as prices
STATED going down the motorist
began TO get careless with fuel, he
says. wasting ii unnecessarily and
paving the way for the increases
that have just been announced.
Depends on Demand.
Just how far the present rise in
gas prices will extend" SAYS Galley,
depends largely upon how much
longer the motorist ignores the
fact that the price of gas Is de-
the motorist. through economical
use Of gas. will bend every effort
toward maintaining the large sur
plus stock of fuel in the hands of
the refners the price of gas can be
kept within bounds"
The report issued by the y, NJ A.
gasoline committee takes particular
exception to the plan Of using state
FUNDS to undersen the refinerS. as is
the case in South Dakota, denounc-
ing this plan as not merely economic
folly. but u gross Inconvenience to
the motoring public
Speaking OF the McAIaster policy,
Galley says:
The price tag on the gallon OF
gas has never represented what the
mctorist has actually had to paw
for gasoline. In the South Dakota
plan the motorist has been getting
state gas at the cost of the ouoted
rrce. plus his share of the loss OF
revenue on state funds thus diverted.
plus the inconvenience of having to
pump. The sum of this inyariahiv
equals tie price of gas at the sta
lions OF the refiners and gas vendors
Hits Htppodromic Plans,
"fiippodroinic plans for endeayor;ns
10 upset the law Of supply and demand
ana force the retiners to lower prices
cannot be expected to benefit the mo
torist. AS matter of fact. thew tan7
10 blind him TO the fact that it's the u.s..
lie obtains from a gallon Of gas that
per gallon.
"Many car owners are Just discover
ing how much gas they have been vast
ing BY cutting out this waste they
VIII flnd that the real cost Of gasoline is
,ol
cover that in saving gas they will help
70 maintain large surplus In the
hands Of the refiners. which means do
ing share toward cutting the demand
for gas occasioned by wastage.
'If all the. motorists would follow
this example the N. NJ. A. believes that
gas prices would soon start dropping
again. It was inevita BILE. at any rate.
that the waste of gasoline this winter
should reduce gas stocks and send the
prices upward again, especially when
production was In process of curtail-
ment.
Demand Increases.
Demand for gas is almost a5 per
to the great increase in cars and the
more use to which they are put But
the increase in Oil production over last
year would still have put the ref1ners In
a position where they would be forced
to sell at a sacrifice had motorists not
taken the short era Of low prices as
way out of it for the motorist. there
fore, is through thrift. 1t may be too
late for car owners to enjoy the benefits
just now fading from the automotive
picture, but through thrift they can
ward off the possibility of a sharp up
ward trend Of prices"
Members OF automobile clubs affiliated
with the y. NJ. A. Will: be urged to CO.
operate in this movement to keep gaso-
line prices normal by eliminating vast
age in the use Of fuel. The active sup
port expected from this body of organ
ICED motorists is counted upon by the
~ NJ a. as the best plan for bringing
rne truth OF the gasoline situation to
the attention OF the general public,
which is now one and the same with
the motoring public.