Evening star., 1941-10-03

CreQlJ LOT nav "''u ""
ing stirred up the question of con-
seryation and for having attacked
wasteful uses of gasoline. But some
how the sequel to the Secretary'S
efforts has been feeling that the
curtailment was not essential and
that conservation of supply could
have been more efficiently arranged.
From the beginning it has been
clear that the shortage was in trans
portation facilities and not in the
product itself. Various ways OF
transporting oil to the consumer are
available - tank cars, sea a-going
tankers, pipelines, trucks and
barges. The form of transportation
Is based on the available facilities
and the costs over long or short dis
tanceS.
When John ]. Pelley, head of the
Association of American Railroads,
says there are at least $4,000 tank
cars available for transportation of
oil by rail, he knows whereof he
speaks. for he has one of the most
efficient and alert industrial trade
associations in the Capital. When
Secretary Ickes says he has reports
that there are not as many tank
ears available as has been claimed,
the controversy turns on what is
meant by available cars.
Public Interested in Result.
The tank car business is not con-
Quoted as is the movement of
freight cars. The oil cars are owned
by private companies and leased
10 the railroads or oil companies
for use. Whether a car is available
depends on whether it is actually
idle or merely tied up by. lease to
some private company and hence
inaccessible except by some govern
mental priority or rationing system.
There seems little doubt that
there are enough tank cars to carry
an amount of oil almost equal to
the shortage in the Eastern area
but to accomplish such an equili-
brium requires the closest kind of
cooperation between governmental
and private agencies. 1t is regret
table that such a controversy has
arisen over the building of new pipe
lines and over the statistics on
shortage of transportation facilities
by rail because the American people
are interested only in results and
not in the petty quarrels in Wash
ington.
Mr.. Ickes made mistake in his
personal attack on Mr.. Pelley at
the Senate Committee hearing, but
he doubtless realizes that by now
and the important task of the
moment is to clear up for the bene-
fit of the public the whole oil con-
servation problem. If more author
ity is needed to commander tank
cars and see to it that they do not
lie idle under leases while there Is
use for them, Congress will give
such power ungrudgingly the mo-
ment the Petroleum Administrator
makes his request known.
Want to Show Public.
The railroads can do such a job
on transporting the defense produc-
ton as will be a credit to private
enterprise. For several years of de-
preston, the railroads have been
waiting to show the public what they
could do in an emergency. The
railroads have to be sure, been ham,
strung by high and prohibitive
freight rates on oil transportation
but there is every evidence that the
Interstate Commerce Commission
will cooperate in reducing rates
whenever bulk shipments are ar
ranged.
Already the tank car tranSporta-
ton of gasoline has increased to un-
precedented proportions. Mr.. Ickes
says he called attention to it last
June. This would seem to argue
that the handling of oil by rail is on
every side held to be desirable and
that all energies right now be con-
centrated on how to get into actual
use the $4,000 extra cars which
Mr.. Pelley says the American rail-
roads could move If called upon.
May Clean up in Spring.
1t would appear also that if the
einkings in the Atlantic are being
reduced, there may not be any neces-