Evening star., 1933-07-23
OIL MEN DECLINE
ROOSEVELT'SP PLAN
Refuse Blanket Code for
Time Being, Pending
Own Hearing.

Americas huge oil industry declined
temporarily late yesterday to approve
President Roosevelts proclamation es-
tablishing minimum wages and max
imum hours, preferring TO wait until its
own specific code has been placed In
effect.
The industry, the fifth largest in the
country, rejected q resolution asking
approval without qualification of the
Presidents program. Instead, a COM
mittee representing the entire industry
voted to apply the proposed 40-hour
week only to retail dealers and agencies
handling oil products as a side line.
The decision was based on q desire of
certain interests to delay definite ap-
proval until attef the industry's own
code comes up for hearing before the
National Recovery Administration to-
morrow in the United States Chamber
Of Commerce Building. Some commit
tee members feared the blanket code"
laid down by Mr.. Roosevelt might con-
cially with respect to working hours.
Votes on Price Regulation.
In another vote, however, the COM
mittee decided to support a proposal
for the regulation of prices within the
industry and for general licensing of
the industry, an issue which has split
the ranks of the oil men for the past
few weeks.
The proposal concerning retail dealers
engaged in selling oil "aS q side line"
provides that if maximum hours of labor
and minimum rates of pay. in the opin-
ion Of the Recovery Administration, can
not be practically enforced, they would
be exempt. but licensed to sell oil prod
ucts not more than 40 hours a week and
at prices not below those established by
the administration.
Would Put Money to Work.
Harry F. Sinclair, chairman Of the
Labor Subcommittee and advocate of
bringing all retail outlets under the
4o-hour week, estimated its general ap-
plication would mean putting from
250, 900 to 100000 men back to work,
as compared with an increase in en-
ployment of only $4,000 to 100000 If all
retailers were not covered.
Sinclair, in q surprise move, obtained
the committees agreement to recon-
mend to the recovery administration
a rule to prohibit any refiner, distribu
tor, wholesaler or jobber from con-
tracing with any dealer, service station
operator or vender for the exclusive sale
or distribution of oil products. The
recommendation was made so suddenly
by Sinclair that representatives Of the
ma jor" companies were taken of their
feet and failed to block its adoption.
The rule had been advocated Strenu-
ously by the independents" and its
proposal by Sinclair, aligned with the
majors" took the committee by sur
prise.
Present Substitute Code.
While the Emergency Committee was
winding up its meeting. the Independent
Petroleum Association opposed to
monopoly and q group Of other inde-
pendent associations not taking part in
the Emergency Committee sessions.
presented a substitute code to Admins
traitor Hugh S. johnson and numerous
objections to the code before him.
The Emergency Committee is COM
posed of 81 members chosen by repre-
sentativeS Of about 80 per cent Of the
oil industry at recent session in Chi
cago, at which the code was formulated,
and two members chosen yesterday to
represent retailers and fuel oil
interests.
John B. Elliott Of Los Angeles, of the
Independent Petroleum Association of
California, and Jack Blalock Of Mar
shall. Tex, representing the Independ-
ent Petroleum Association of Texas, led
IN drawing up the substitute code.