The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-08-29
THE OIL QUESTION
By J. E. Jones

Washington, D. c., August 3d.
There are still more than 200 tank
ers transporting oil from the Gulf
and Caribbean to the Eastern sea-
board, and SO far the figures do not
show either shortage of oil or
shortage of transportation. Fifty
tankers were transferred to Great
Britain, and then Harold Ickes be-
gan his noise. The principal sur
plus" is in proclamations from the
Oil Administration calling for slow
er speeds, gradual acceleration, de-
celebration, elimination of unneces-
sary use of motor vehicles, elimina-
ton of idling of motors, checking
carburetors and ignition systems,
jack-rabbit starting, gasoline cur
Jews, etc. The Petroleum Coordina
tor is accused of "haranguing the
public with threats of oil rationing"
by the Washington Post.
All of the oil companies have
bowed to Mr.. Ickes' orders. Eleven
big concerns have made a volunteer
offer to build new 1,820-mile pipe
line system, the longest in the world
with capacity to deliver 100000
barrels of fuel oil daily from the oil
fields to the Eastern seaboard. They
will furnish 70 to 80 million dollars
for this privately owned National
Defense pipeline.
Some weeks ago this Letter con-
ftained an account of major pipe
line already scheduled for construc-
| ton, to form link from Baton
Rouge, Louisiana, to Greensboro,
North Carolina, with spur lines in
Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.
Pipelines would meet any short
age that may threaten the future,
and according to the news reports it
will be possible to put them in oper-
alton within 9 to 10 months. Mr..
Ickes is reported to have said this
would not be soon enough to be a
factor in solving the immediate
problem caused by lack of trans
portation facilities in the East. Mr..
Ickes must have noticed that his
predictions are not generally ac-
cepted by public opinion.
| On the other hand no one doubts
for minute but what the IL big
oil companies will meet the chal-
lenge, if given chance to do so.
80
All Men Kept In The Army
| The Congress of the United
States has extended the term of SER
vice of all men in the Army year
and half. The new legislation de-
clares that "the national interest
is imperilled". All men in the Army
will receive $40 a month increase in
pay after the first year.
| There was hard, close fight, in
both branches of Congress over the
question of extending the period of
service, and the results show Con-
gress to be in agreement with the
Administration, therefore the SER
vice men and the Nation will ap-
prove the final decision.
| Frozen Funds
| In April last year the United Stat
es Government froze 267 million
dollars of funds in the United States
that belonged to Norway and Den
mark. That was the beginning of
'freezing-which was a plan to keep
the funds of the invaded countries
from being used by Germany and
others.
Today these foreign funds amount
to more than TN billion dollars.
Perhaps you may have forgotten
some of those nations that were
stormed and crushed by Hitler.
Those unfortunate nations that are
being defended by the United States
are Denmark, Luxembourg, Holland,
Belgium, France, Germany, Japan,
Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Rumania,
Hungary, Austria, Poland, Czech
slovakia, Finland, Portugal, China,
Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Eston-
ia, Latvia, Lithuania.
To Save Small Business
Editor Joseph Martin of Massa-
chusetts, Chairman of the Repub-
lican National Committee, and Con-
gresham from his State, says that
small businesses comprise SO percent
OF all business and handle IS per
cent of the nations commerce. He
thinks the small fellows are get
ting the worst of it, in the awards
OF defense contracts, and he has
declared campaign to- force the
Government to adopt measuers to
save small business men from being
plowed under.
''Subterfuge''
A lot of legislation before Con-
gress is being promoted to subter-
|fuge under claims for National De-
Tense. These issues include the st.
Lawrence seaway, the Florida ship