Evening star., 1936-08-09
BY Holm NJ. GLEISSNER.

SECRETARY 1ChCS, Ill liLS 1ddlO 1GDlN
last week to the acceptance speech OF
Gov. Landon, brought to the FORE
front the issue Of oil, which in one
form or another has been agitating
American politics for more than half
a century.
Back in the 80s, when the original
Standard Oil Co. of John D. Rookie
feller had acquired control of some
thing like 80 per cent of the industry,
and for many years thereafter, the
cry Of monopoly aroused public, law
makers and courts. Rockefeller was
accused of sitting competition by un-
fair methods, particularly by obtain
ing discriminating rates of transpor-
tation, and of manipulating prices to
his own advantage. The clamor
through the trust-busting, undertaking
era finally eliminated in the famous
dissolution decree of 1911, under the
Sherman antitrust law. Some 40
companies which had been united un-
der the Standard Oil Co. of New Jer-
sey, first of the giant holding COM
panies, were ordered to split up and
resume competition.
In recent years attention largely
has centered on the efforts to stabilize
oil production and prices and to con-
serve supplies in the ground in the
face Of constant exploration and dis
covery, and attempts by the inde-
pendent producers to curtail or shut
out imports.
Landon Has Sought Order.
Gov Landon, first as an independ-
ent oil producer and later as chief
executive of the fourth oil State, has
been in the van of the long struggle
| to bring order in the industry, and to
| end ruinous prices by making pro-
duction and importations conform to
demand. Landon was chairman of the
Governors Oil Conference in 1888,
and it was in this connection that he
was criticized by Secretary Ickes.
Ickes charged that Landon, after he
became a candidate, abandoned his
previous position in favor of Federal
regulation to advocate control through
interstate compacts.
Ickes did not, as former Senator
Brookhart of Iowa did directly, and
Senator Borah of Idaho by inference,
accuse Landon of connection with the
Standard Oil Co. Brookhart last
Spring charged that Landon was
Standard Oil candidate, but the ac-
cusation attracted little attention,
since Brookhart did not offer proof.
Senator Borah, himself candidate
for the presidency, caused a mild
political furry when, on March Is.
1885, he charged that the Standard
Oil Co. was attempting to influence
the selection of delegates in Oklahoma
to the Republican National Conven-
ton. Borah did not stipulate which
Standard company he had in mind.
His information, he said, came from
leading Republicans of Oklahoma.
Called for Investigation.
1T Is claimed that the delegation
is being selected regardless of public
sentiment and through methods that
warrant investigation, said Borah.
"It would seem that there is no doubt
as to the facts"
Borah called on the Senate Cam
paign Fund Committee to investigate.
Here again no evidence was offered,
and If the Senate committee made
the investigation Borah demanded,
nothing has ever been heard about it.
Borah had not mentioned Landon
by name and when a Wichita editor
interpreted the remarks as aimed at
the candidate, Borah retorted that the
editor owed Landon an apology. Other
friends of Landon placed the same
construction on Borah's statement,
however, and came to his defense.
Among these was Writ Franklin Of
Ardmore, Okla, president of the In
dependent Petroleum Association OF
America, and long the leader of the
independents in their fight for legis-
lation to restrict oil imports. Franklin
was successful candidate for dele
gate to the convention.
Gov. Landon was one of the leaders
in the victorious fight of the indie
pendents against monopoly" said
Franklin the day after Borah had
issued his statement. He has been a
director of the Independent Petroleum
Association since soon after its organi-
zation. The independent operator to-
day enjoys the right to compete on
equal terms with the big corporations.
Gov. Landon played a big part in
winning that right.
When our group was in the throes
of its bitter fight in Washington, ALI
Landon came to Washington at his
own expense and stayed there for six
weeks fighting with me-"
Pipe Line Issue Fought.
When Brookhart issued his blast, 1t
was pointed out by Landon's friends
that as Republican State chairman
and manager of Gov. Reeds campaign
In 1880, Landon had fought the Stand
ard m the nina lin1 Issue