Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-29
OIL UMPIRE PLAN
WATCHED IN TRADE
California Experiment May
Have Far-Reaching Effect
Upon Prices.
BIZ WILLIAM vOIGT. yR..
Associated Press star writer

TULSA. Okla. October 2s.-Basing
their actions on the premise that any
thing that affects an oil industry any
where might have o marked effect on
the business here. Midcontinent oil men
now are watching keenly the develop
ment of the oil umpire" or Gear" idea
in California.
There the OH Producers Sales Agency,
having as members or clients virtually
all the oil-producing companies on the
West Coast. has decided to give the
long discussed theory a trial, and has
offered the position to Edwin b. Reeser
Of Tulsa, president of the American
Petroleum Institute and Of the Barns
DAN oil Co.
Announcement Delayed.
His delaying any specific statement
until later" Is taken generally to mean
he will wait until the institute holds
its annual meeting IN Chicago Novem-
Der 1912 before announcing acceptance.
It Is common talk in this oil center
that Reeser. having had three years of
leadership of the institute, Is ready TO
pass the job TO other hands
But whether one man viii accept or
reject the position Of oil dictator Of
California is beside the point. Oil men
want to see the project get under way,
1t Is Just possible that the California
results might have bearing in q year,
or maybe two or three years, on the
INDUSTRY over the rest of the country.
California's oil industry Is q thing
apart from that east OF the Rockies
as much so in effect as though Cali
fornia were foreign country. A vast
consumer OF petroleum products. Cali
fornia also Is q vast exporter, and the
effect on oil-producing States east Of
the Rockies of California oil Is virtu-
ally the same as that Of. say, Venezuela.
that Of arbiter In all disputes between
the various elements making I'D the
industry-the producer, the purchaser,
the pipeline owner or refiner and the
distributor.
The conditions under which oil IA
produced In California is markedly
different from that of the midconti-
nent area. There are major opera
tors and approximately IS large COM
major operators in California and adj
tacent territory. Aside from these
there are virtually no others.
In California there is not the ten
dency TO dabble In oil that Is found
throughout the Middle States. Here.
Tor instance, almost every one who
has acquired a bit Of money takes q
hier In oil virtually as a matter of
form. 1t is 'the thing to do"
Interests Are Varied.
There is validating on all sides.
even in these days of comparative low
price and depression
The interests producing oil are as
diversified as human nature, and as
hard to coordinate and lead or drive
down given path Of procedure.
However, those with the interests of
the industry at heart are wondering
II eventually the masses now Gin oil"
In this section may not be brought to
operating in SUFFICIENT harmony To
make possible the efncient and paw
ing services Of an umpire or "czar.''
II ever or whenever the oil industry
chooses some one to have the final
word In disputes within the Industry.
It Is safe bet that oil men will trust
their interests only to an oil man.
Only in few quarters is It believed
that the American Petroleum Institute
VIII take up seriously next month the
question Of GEAR" for the entire
industry. President Reeser says It win
not, and his word carries weight.