Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-16
ON Situation.


Is a new oil price war in the making?
The Champlin Refining Co. of Enid,
Okla, in announcing reductions In
high-gravity oils, averaging all the way
from IS to 81 cents barrel, may have
precipitated another war among the
oil giants.
AS this Enid company buys more
than $4,000 barrels of oil in the CARRIER,
Tonkawa, Marshall Lowell level, Semi
mole and Oklahoma City fields, oil men
look upon this latest cut with deep
concern.
The larger companies so far have not
met the price fixed by. the Champlin
Co., but they are expecting to take some
action one way or the other this week.
Meanwhile, Writ Franklin, president
of the Independent Petroleum Associa-
ton of America, is leading movement
for tariff on crude oil from Venezuela.
Mexico and other oil producing centers
outside of the United States. It is con-
tended that the differences in the costs
of drilling wells and operations in those
countries justifies the imposition of
tariff on this product. At present,
agents of the United States Tariff
Commission are conducting an investi-
CATION regarding production costs in
Oklahoma and Texas.
Sees Business Sterilization.
Magnus W. Alexander, president of
the National Industrial Conference
Board, sees in the voluntary co-opera-
ton of business associations, the next
step IN the advancement of civilization.
Opposed, as he is, on the one hand.
70 the old nineteenth century doctrine
OF absolutely free competition, and on
the other, to the theory of compulsory
Government regulation, he sees in the
concerted action of industrial leaders.
working for the sterilization and ration
alization Of industry, and the utilization
of scientifically directed and practically
applied research. guide to the solution
OF the distressing problem of industry
and business that now confront the
world.
Mr.. Alexander regards the Sherman
antitrust act, merely ''re-expression of
the individualistic philosophy and re-
statement of the doctrine of laissez-
taire competition"
"On the basis of this new formula of
competition plus cooperation, says
Mr.. Alexander, American industry has
entered a period of industrial progress
characterized, not only by chronological
changes in Improvements. but also by
increasing mental capacity to grapple
with complex problems as a result of
the changing social and economic
aspects Of our civilization"
Mr.. Alexander, 60 spent the first part
of his business life as a designer and
engineer-that is, after he completed
his studies in the University of Vienna
and Gratz. Later he became consulting
engineer on economic issues for several
years for the General Electric Co. But
his entire time during the last IA years
has been given over to the work of the
National Industrial Conference Board
0f wl1ir6 no lie Y1rpSidpnf
The Young Plan.
Such conservative paper as the
Wall Street Journel has expressed doubt
that the world can be held in status
quo much longer, in the face of drop
ping world prices.
That the Young plan can be made
to work in T.. present state of COM
modify price i, extremely improbable
That it can be made to work in the
face Of further decline is clearly impos-
sible," says the Journal
There is no question but that the
time has arrived for America to wake
up and face the facts. The situation,
with reference to debts and interna-
tional obligations is getting more SER
ious each day, and it must be met
sooner or later. Why not tackle the
job right away?
And the heart of this whole problem
centers largely in German reparations.
gCopyright, 1880, by North American News
paper Alliance)