The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-02-16
E9879&kJTOMOBNE SECTEQlkgSE44555= 81
TAREE-A OKEHS
PROBE OF GAS
Asks Government Control Of
Fuel Sales Here

Government reEulhbOn OF Ihs pflce
Of gasoline apparently offers the best
protection Of tho interests Of ti1e mo
torists against any concerted action
in arbitrarily increasing the price
overnight, In tho opinion Of Thos. T..
Henry OF Detroit, president Of tho
American Automobile association, ex.
pressed in letter Of commentator
to President Coolidge for his prompt
OF the recent advance in the price OF
gasoline. Henry called the attention
Of the president To the fact that the
increases in gasoline price during
tho last six months, IL maintained.
mean an approximate annual In.
crease Of 5000, 100000 in the cost OF
operating the motor vehicles OF the
country.
IL Is the firm conviction Of the OF.
ficers OF the American Automobile
association that the president Of the
United States has the power and ia
ciiities for arriving at the facts
which are not only OF interstate inn
portance. but which affect interstate
and individual transportation. The
difficulties attending independent
control Of this Interstate problem by
the various states is obvious, Henry
wrote.
WHY THE APPARENT
DETERMINATIONS"
The people want 10 know the real
reasons. II any exist. for the price
being from two 10 six cents higher in
one section than the price quoted in
an adjoining territory and why the
price can be arbitrarily Increased in
certain sections overnight, said
Henry.
The fullest cooperation Of the as
ISOLATION and all its affiliations was
pledged to the president, the United
States department OF justice and the
federal trade commission.
The letter 10 the president follows:
Your prompt action in ordering
an investigation OF the recent ad-
vances in the price OF gasoline is
highly gratifying 10 the motorists Of
the nation. As president OF the
American Automobile association.
which for % years has represented
the motorists OF the country, 1 de-
sire TO extend 10 your our apprecia-
ton for this manifestation of your
interest In protecting the motor We
hicle users from any unwarranted
increases in the price OF motor fuel.
1t Is our strong conviction that
In you rest the power and facilities
for arriving at the facts, which are
not only OF interstate Importance.
but which affect Interstate and in.
dividual transportation as well.
OkEHS GOVERNMENT
CONTROL OF SALES
We believe the suggestion az Mar.
ing the sale OF oil under some vov.
eminent regulation which would nre.
vent without a moments warning an
Increase in the price OF a commodity
so universally used Is worthy Of con-
sideration. The increase in the nrice
or gasoline during the last three
months, IL maintained, means an an.
proximate annual increase of $500.
100000 In the cost OF operating mo-
tor vehicles OF the country. This nm
questionably affects the cost Of Iiv.
ing. There are 1900 900 automobiles
In the United States today, or one
car to every two families.
advances in gasoline prices ara
80 often made simultaneously at fiu.
ing stations in given territory as TO
seem to indicate an agree ment or
concerned action. If II is due to the
cost Of production gasoline is UNIQUE
In its relation to natural economic
laws. There is often a dlfferential of
from one to two cents in crossing
state lines. There is dominating
Influence somewhere that, seeming.
~. is not related to tho law of supply
and demand.
I'VE want the people to know the
real reasons, IL any exist. for the
price being from two to six cents
higher in one section than the price
quoted in an adjoining territory and
why the price can arbitrarily be in
creased in certain sections over night.
81 offer to you and to the United
States department of justice and to
the federal trade commission the
fullest cooperation Of this associa-
ton and of all its affiliations in
prosecuting your Investigation"