Evening star., 1941-10-01
Ickes Refuses
To Lift Curbs
On Oil Sales
Shortage in East
Reol, Coordination
Tells Senators
BY j. A. OLEARY.


Insisting the Eastern oil shortage
Is real Federal Oil Co-ordinator
Harold L, Ickes told special Senate
committee today he cannot accept
Its preliminary recommendation to
lift restrictions.
Mr.. Ickes said that if the existing
trend of supply and demand for
petroleum products continues on the
East coast, there would not be
enough to go around during the
coming winter
After denouncing as utterly with
out foundation" the testimony given
recently by john J. Pelley, president
of the Association Of American Rail-
roads. that 10000 idle tank cars are
available to relieve any shortage.
Mr.. Ickes said the Senate group had
"gravely handicapped the oil con-
servation program by reporting there
was no actual shortage on the
Eastern Seaboard at this time.
Unjustified Attitude.
The committees report, Mr.. Ickes
declared, gave the public "a wholly
uniustified attitude Of competency.
Describing Mr.. Pelley as a lobby
ist" whose chief concern was to pre-
vent the building of an oil pipe line,
Mr.. Ickes said that instead of 10000
available tank cars there are by
ectual count only 5192.
Expressing the belief that the
committees tentative recommen-
dations for lifting restrictions were
based largely on Mr. Pelley's testi-
nony, Mr. Ickes declared that Mr.
Pelley owes not only you, but the
American people, an abject apol-
ogy."
He added that one oil company
seeking 1000 additional cars to move
petroleum, had been able to obtain
only 162 in queries sent to rs COM
panies.
Mr.. Pelley could not be reached
for comment.
Without commenting directly on
Mr.. Ickes' stand toward the COM
rnittee report, Chairman Maloney
placed in the record table show
ing that the stock of petroleum
products in this area increased con-
stantly from 36,3Ol 900 barrels on
April 26, 1941, to 47,O8000O on Sep
tember 20.
Davies Presents Figures.
Ralph K. Davies. deputy co-ordi-
nator. said his information as of to-
day shows the inventory to be $685.
900 barrels less than the inventory
at the same time year ago, IN the
face of much heavier demand.
II don't question the accuracy oi
your figures, Mr.. Davies said: 81
can only question that we can gel
any comfort out of them in face o.
the situation"
Summing up his testimony, Mr.
lckes asserted:
The committee states in its re-
port that it does not desire to as
sumo credit for its small effort I
finds that the trouble was caused
bv an over-enthusiasm' on the par
of the co-ordinator and his staff.
willingly plead guilty to an enthu
eiasm for seeing to it that our de
fense program does not suffer 10
lack of petroleum products.
mo one denies that the supple
on the East Coast are less thai
they were last year. No one denle
that our need for petroleum in thl
area is far greater. No one denle
that the means of replenishing ou
supply have been cut off drastically
No one will guarantee that we ma.
not have to give up more tanker
TO supply petroleum to England ant
Russia and others.
when this committee assured tn
people that there was no shortage
either of petroleum or of transporta
ton facilities, the situation changet
rapidly for the worse. Gasoline sta
tions which formerly had held dow
their sales, blew off the lid. Th
owners of stations began postinl
Plenty of Gas signs. I submit
selection of pictures taken in Wash
ington and its vicinity, showing som
of these signs.
Gentlemen, I feel sure that yo1
would have avoided such conse
uuences if the facts of the oil situa
ton had not been misrepresented +
you by persons and organization
with motives that will not bear scru
tiny.
During the next weeks ant
(See OIL, Page A-6)