Evening star., 1941-07-29

plies. Without them she could not
continue her gallant defense Of her
democracy, as we'll as our own.
Immobile without Oil.
This is a mechanical war. We
talk of swift ships and on-rushing
tanks and huge bombers as if these
alone were going to defeat Hitler.
On the surface this is true, but 1t
is even more true that the outcome
OF the war depends upon oil and
gasoline, for without oil and gaso-
line. the swift ships, the on-rushing
tanks and the bombers are just so
much beautifully fashioned junk.
Even in the last war, the Allies
"foated to victory on a sea of oil"
Recently it was the lure of precious
oil that enticed Hitler into Rumania.
1t was the lure of precious oil that
made him break his solemn treaty
with Stain. At no time have ar
mics been able to wage war on
empty stomachs; today. they cannot
wage war on empty gasoline tanks.
Since England could obtain these
vitally necessary supplies only by
tankers, the Nazis concentrated on
sinking tankers. To help England.
We have replaced her sunken tank
ers with our own, and If l know
nv America. We will cheerfully give
Whatever additional tankers may
be needed until the war for democ-
racy and civilization shall have been
won.
Some of the tankers that have
already gone to the aid Of democ-
racy, fighting desperately for its
life. necessarily came from the feet
that supplied the East Coast. And
some of those still to be sent. when
and If needed, will come from the
same feet.
The result is that we do not have
at the present time. sufficient tank
ers to meet East Coast needs.
The diversion Of these tankers
even though it causes a shortage. Is
certainly a small price TO pay for
time to enable us to carry our own
national defense program forward
to the point where We will be in
vulnerable.
Choice to Make.
We had to choose one OF two
alternatives threat of a posi-
Bile blitzkrieg on the East Coast. or
temporary gasoline shortage or
the East Coast.
It was not a dificult choice to
make.
At present, the impending short
age Is limited to the East Coast
Those great inland areas that get
their petroleum products by pipe
line, by river bargeS or by railroad
are. so far, little affected. But as
we seek to ameliorate the East Coast
/ shortage. We will be forced to use
some of the transportation facilities
Of other areas, and. as we do. the
effect will be felt. So you on the
Pacific Coast. and those Of you In
other areas, should not regard this
as being only an East Coast problem
! Canada already has decreed gas
/ less Sundays, by stopping gas sales
on the Sabbath, and has closed fill
ing stations every day from O'Clock
at night until 7 o'clock the next
morning Various South American
countries are feeling the pinch, a.
adjustments are made to abate oul
East Coast deficiency However.
have recommended that, in oul
efforts to mend our own situation
we do nothing that will cause any
of our neighbors in the Western
| Hemisphere to bear greater pro-
portionate burden than we ourselves
are called upon to carry.
I assure you that neither the
/ Government nor the oil industry ha,
stood idly by. We have done, We
are doing and We will continue tc
do all in our power to make up the
East Coast transportation deficiency
as soon as possible.
No Overnight Job.
But We cannot build pipe lines
or construct ocean-going tanker'
overnight. We cannot draw tot
heavily upon the railroad tank car
because this would disrupt the econ.
omy of other sections of the coun'
try which are as dependent upor
tank cars as the East Coast Is upor
ocean tankers.
Following my designation. on Ma!
%, by President Roosevelt as Petro
leum Co-ordinator for National De
fense, selected as my deputy al
experienced and highly regarded
executive from the Oil industry
Ralph K. Davies. vice president o
the Standard Oil Co. of California
Mr. Davies has chosen as his assist
ants men experienced in the oi
industry.
These men know the oil busines
in ell of its phases. Their knowledge
their experience and their abilit'
are all being fully utilized in friendl
cooperation with the experts o
the Government and of the oil In
dustry in a united. determined ef
fort to resolve this problem rapidly
Last week, upon passage of tn
Cole pipe line bill. I recommends,
that crude oil pine line be con
structed from the East Texas field
to Atlantic Coast refining area,
This pipe line. estimated to cos
upward of $7O,O00,00O, will have
daily capacity of 250,000 barrels
This will be a great aid in maxim
up our tanker deficiency. Unfor
tunately, however, it will take, un
der the most ideal conditions, eigh
or 10 months to construct this pip
line.
Another aid to our efforts to in
crease East Coast supplies was tn
enactment of the load-line bill. Thi
measure permits coastwise tanker
to carry greater loads than the
had been doing. On the basis @
the present tanker fleet, 1t is esti
mated that East Coast receipts wi
| - - MN - ln oo0 1.