Evening star., 1941-06-20
President Puts
All Oil Under
xportControI
Eost Coast Shipments
Limited to Britain
And This Hemisphere
BACKGROUND

DAO n oLlOON
With less than halt normal
years needs OF rubber on hand
and oil supply to Eastern sea-
board reduced by dtUersion OF
tdnkerS to the British, measures
TO reduce consumption hare been
expected for some time. OFFICIALS
hare emphasized that Eastern OIL
shortage is due only TO tranSpor-
tation difficulties
All American petroleum products
we're placed under export control
today on specific orders by Presl-
dent Roosevelt, with shipments from
the Eastern seaboard TO be limited
to the British Empire, Egypt and
the Western Hemisphere.
The step Of placing all oil ship
ments under export control gives the
administration new weapon in
dealing with the Far Eastern situa-
tion, although it was indicated in
high administration quarters that
embargoes on western shipments
are not contemplated now. Only
shipments of high-test gasoline 10
Japan are now subject to control.
Reason for the control arrange
ment was given as the threatened
shortage of petroleum products in
the eastern portion Of the United
States. with further explanation
that supplies for the British and
parts of the Western Hemisphere
are dependent on eastern shipments.
In addition, the White House an
nouncement said that plan Is
under preparation for the most
effective use Of tanker facilities
available to supply petroleum to the
Eastern seaboard and other Amer
lean republics"
Japan Not Affected.
Further restriction of petroleum
shipments from the Gulf Of Mexico
or Pacific Coast ports is not con-
templated, the White House said.
There has been frequent criticism
recently that Americana oil ship
ments are moving from the West
Coast to Japan but today's order
apparently does not contemplate any
immediate change in this situation.
Meanwhile, an official go slow
warning was posted for tire buyers
all over the Nation, gasoline users in
the East and electricity consumers in
To meet the demands of rearma-
ment, stock piles of rubber must be
built up with imports largely from
the East Indies, so defense officials
ordered a reduction henceforth in
the amount of rubber available for
civilian consumption.
Hydroelectric power in the
drought-stricken Southeast is es-
sential for the manufacture of vital
aluminium, so the Federal Power
Commission announced yesterday
that it was ready to urge adoption
of daylight saving time throughout
the entire area.
And with scores Of tankers trans
ferred from domestic runs TO British
use, Eastern motorists got an Off
cial hint that it might be necessary
10 ration gasoline until new ways
could be found to bring in petroleum
from Midcontinent oil fields,
Would Freeze Gasoline Price.
Americas 100000 motor vehicle
owners appeared destined to feel the
first major effects of civilian sacrl-
fees.
The motorists, however, got some
encouragement in a move by the
Price Control Administration to
freeze" the price of gasoline, as a
barrier to unwarranted increases.
Moreover. the Government itself
received encouragement in its effort
to meet the pressing problem OF
supplying the East with oil. Some
300 representatives of Americas
sl2,000000.000 petroleum industry,
meeting here in emergency session
yesterday. voted unanimously to CO.
operate in every way possible on
this and any other program that
may arise out of the preparedness
and aid -to-Britain efforts.
o. P. M. announced last night that
rubber consumption, 70 per cent Of
which is in automobile tires. would
be cut to rate Of about 100000 tons
annually in the last half Of l94l.
On the present basis, the annual
consumption would be $4,000 tons.
The statement said definitely that
tire manufacture would be curtailed
o. P. M. expects to work out a
formula under which manufacturers
would be allowed a percentage of
the rubber they formerly used.