Evening star., 1925-03-20
The Price of Gasoline.

The Senate adjourned it's specia
session with Senator Trammell OF
Florida pleading urgently for action or
his resolution for an investigation into
the increased price of gasoline. His
resolution, which was introduced
weeks ago. in the last regular session
of Congress, and reintroduced in the
special session of the Senate, was
never permitted to come to a vote
This was a vastly different attitude
when Senator McKellar of Tennessee
put through a resolution in 1922 call
4 ing for an inquiry into the prices OF
gasoline, which had advanced greatly
That resolution went through with a
rush, and the investigation made by
the Senate committee on manufac
lures, headed by La Toilette of Wis
consin, was credited at the time with
halting increases in price and bringing
about reductions.
Here in Washington last Winter
consumers saw the price of gasoline
advance cents a gallon in a very
few weeks, an increase of 25 cents
on every five gallon lot put into the
gas tank. During the debate on the
Tranmell resolution the Senator from
Florida pointed out that the produc
ton. of gasoline during the month OF
December had broken all previous
- ~
charge is made by Senator Trammell
that when the price of crude oil is
low great quantities of the crude are
purchased and refined and that then
advantage is taken of the public and
of the producers of crude oil by in.
creasing the prices of gasoline.
Opposition to the TrammelI reso.
luton was led by Senator Harreld of
troversy with Senator Caraway OF
Arkansas that an investigation would
probably beat down the prices of gas
oline, as it had in 1929. But Sena
tor Harreld contended that reduc
ton in the price of gasoline would re
suit in lowering the price of crude
Oil, which he insisted would be unfair
would result in the curtailment of the
production of crude oil, which, in
turn, eventually would bring about an
increase in the price of gasoline
again.
The prosperity of great oil COM
panies in this country has been mar
velous in the past 80 or 40 years.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have
been issued in stock dividends the
records show. The prices of gasoline
and other oil products f1uctuate with
so much uniformity that charges of
price fixing have been made fre.
quently. With billions of dollars in
vested in gas engines and automobiles
gasoline has become a necessity, as
much a necessity almost as meat and
bread. The public must pay what
is demanded. s.
Now it appears the price of gaso.
line is to be reduced a cent a gallon
in Washington, Baltimore and other
country, with the prospect, it is said
of a still further reduction. The very
announcement seems to bear out the
charge that prices move up and down
with astonishing uniformity over vast
areas of the country. And such move
ments make advisable the closest scru
tiny on the part Of the Government
to make sure that the increase in
prices is not merely for the purpose
OF gouging the public.
Associations of consumers to own
and operate filling stations is sug.
gestion advanced by Senator Tram.
NELL to meet the situation. Such as
sociations could go into the open mar.
ket. buy from Independent producers
and be strong weapon again undue
increases in the price Of motor fuel
Failing in his effort to bring about
senatorial, action on the prices OF
gasoline, he will campaign in the
interests of such associations of con
sumers. These associations, in his
than the entrance of the Government
into the distribution of gasoline tc
consumers Out in South Dakota and
Nebraska, however, Gov. McMas ster-
now Senator-and Gov. Bryan took
the bull by the horns and established
State filing stations, reducing the
price Of gasoline far below the price
asked at the company stations. They
broke the price of gas in those States
This was temporary relief But the
associations of consumers could be
made permanent, according to Sena
tor Trammeil, and would always be
there to meet unjust increases in
price.
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