Evening star., 1941-08-28

Is S5% Of July
10% Cut for All Uses
Would Serve East This
Winter, Davies Says
BACKGROUND
Diminishing gasoline reserDes
on Eastern Sedbodrd, caused By
transfers of tdnkers to British
aid runs, prompted Federal CO.
ordindtor IckeS to call for Uolun-
tary one-third reduction in gdSo-
line consumption, nighttime
closing OF filing stations, reduced
deliUerieS by wholesalers. De-
spite EARNINGS situation iDds Sc
riouS, rumorS that no shortage
eIiSted increased. Immediate in
Uestigation OF entire problem ,Das
ordered Tuesday by Senate Com
merce Committee.
Gasoline supplied filling stations
in the East will be reduced Is per
cent in September as compared to
July, Ralph K. Davies, acting Fed
eral petroleum co-ordinator, today
told a subcommittee of the Senate
Commerce Committee as it began
an investigation of conflicting re-
ports about the oil situation.
Although at the present time IL
appears that 10 per cent curtail-
ment in the total consumption Of
gasoline for all uses would get us
safely through the winter" he de-
clared, since our farm machinery,
our trucks. our buses, our ambu-
lances, police cars and emergency
vehicles must have as much as they
already have had, this means that
the consumption of the average mo-
torist for relatively less essential
uses must be curtailed by more than
10 per cent"
Mr.. Davies warned that unless the
present reduction in gasoline sup
plies to service stations brings about
the desired reduction in consump-
ton, more rigid form of curtail-
ment' might become necessary. and
if that should happen his office will
be prepared to proceed"
Rationing Called Complex.
He mentioned a direct rationing
plan but pointed out that such
system has been proven by expert
ence to be difficult and complex. A
rationing system, he declared, cam
not be evolved and put into effect
in a few short weeks.
"A study has been made of. the
rationing system of the world" Mr..
Davies said, and detailed analysis
is now in process. However, this
preparation should not be regarded
as a move toward rationing, as I am
confident that the public can and
should support the present plan
and this makes unnecessary the
adoption Of mere complicated,
cumbersome and expensive plan OF
curtailment."
Mr.. Davies, appearing as the first
witness in place of Petroleum Co-or-
dinator Ickes, who is vacationing on
the West Coast, hinted that the Pot
pourri of contradictory rumors about
the status of the Nations supply
of petroleum products might be
traced to saboteurs. He presented
a mass of figures which he said
showed that the Eastern Coast
faced an actual shortage Of both
gasoline and oil for heating and in.
dustry this winter.
Wonders of Sinister Purposes.
In this connection he said:
One cannot wonder if there does
not lie behind these efforts to pro.
mote confusion and create dissen-
sion, some purpose, sinister and
planned. Is it possible that We have
here an attempt at sabotage? No
more vital effort than the supply of
oil could be selected for interference
by forces antagonistic to national
defense"
Mr.. Davies read slowly and with
dramatic emphasis 5l-page mime
ographed statement outlining in de-
tail the acuteneSs of the petroleum
situation and the history of the
steps taken by Mr. Ickes to curtaiI
the non-eSsential uses of gasoline
so the country can weather the pres
ent emergency without serious fuel
oil hardships.
"A continuation of the present
trend indicates that the entire East
Coast stocks of industrial fuel oils
will be used up before the end Of
the year." he explained.
Three Conditions Possible.
The witness. former vice presi-
dent of the Standard Oil Co. of
California, told the committee that
unless East Coast supplies are
brought into balance, these condi-
tionS will result:
Il. We could have all the gaso-
line we want and not enough oil
to heat our homes.
2. We could heat our homes and
have all the gasoline we want, but
Industry would be paralyzed, for
want of fuel oil.
g. We could have ample oil for
running our industries, but not heat
our homes and have gasoline for
transportation"
Mr.. Davies said that in July the
Navy was unable to get a single bid
for $500 900 barrels of heavy fuel oil
to be delivered on the East coast
because no company could supply
the oil unless the Navy would carry
1T in its own tankers from the gulf
ports"
Caucus Room Crowded.
The caucus room in the Senate
Office Building where the ioveStioa