Evening star., 1941-05-31
Text of Presidents Letter
Ickes' responsibilities as Petroleum
Co-ordinutor for Defense Outlined
By the Associated Press.

n LIE fAhA, ~. - NJ W SI!-
The tert OF a letter in t0hich
President Roosevelt desi1ndted
Secretary Ickes as petroleum CO.
ordinator TOR national defense:
My dear Mr.. Secretary:
Recent significant develop
ments indicate the need OF CO.
ordinating existing authority over
oil and gas and insuring that the
supply of petroleum and its prod
ucts will be accommodated to the
needs of the Nation and the ma
tional defense program.
Government functions relating
to petroleum problems are now
divided among numerous officers
and agencies of the Federal Gov
ernment and the principal oil
producing States. The various
phases of operation in the petro-
leum industry itself are numer-
Gus and complex.
One of the essential require
ments of the national defense
program, which must be made
the basis of our petroleum de-
fense policy in the unlimited ma
tional emergency declared on
May 81, 1941, is the development
and utilization with maximum
efficiency of our petroleum re-
sources and our facilities, pres
ent and future, for making petro-
leum products available, ade-
quately and continuously, In the
proper forms, at the proper
places and at reasonable prices
to meet military and civilian
needs.
Some of the problems with
which We are now confronted
and which require immediate &C.
tion are: The proper develop
ment, production and utilization
OF those reserves of crude oils
and natural gas that are of
strategic Importance both in
quality and location; elimination
or reduction of cross hauling of
petroleum and its products and
the development of transporta-
ton facilities and of methods by
which more efficient use can bs
made of existing transportation
and store facilities; balancing re-
flning operations to secure the
maximum yields Of specific prod
ucts with full consideration for
requirements, the most econom-
ical use of the raw materials and
efficiency of production and dis
tribution, and the elimination of
the drilling of unnecessary wells
in proven fields and of other un-
necessary activities and equip
ment.
responsibilities Outlined,
In order to provide the desired
coordination, am hereby desig-
mating you as Petroleum Co-ordi-
nator for National Defense. In
that capacity it will be your func-
ton and responsibility as my
representative:
1. To obtain currently from the
States and their agencies, from
the petroleum and allied indus
tries, from the officers and
agencies of your department, and
from other appropriate Federal
departments and agencies infor-
nation as to () the military and
civilian needs for petroleum and
petroleum products, (b) the fac
tors affecting the continuous
ready availability of petroleum
and petroleum products for those
needs, and Co any action pro.
posed which will affect such
availability of petroleum and
petroleum products.
2. To make specific recon-
mendations to any appropriate
department, officer, corporation
or other agency of the Federal.
Government, particularly the
Office of Production Management
and the Office of Price Admins
tration and Civilian Supply, to
the appropriate agency represent
ing any State or any combination
Of States, and to any appropriate
industry or part thereof, as to
action which is necessary or de-
sirable, on the basis of your de-
terminations, to insure the main
tenance of a ready and adequate
supply of petroleum and petro-
leum products.
In carrying out these RESPONSE
bilities, it is expected that you
will consult with the several
officers and agencies of the Fed
eral Government. And with the
States acting severally or in any
joint capacity, to the end that
all Government participation
shall consistently further the
purposes outlined.
To Help Shape Policies.
1t is also expected that you
will consult with the petroleum
industry and those industries
which affect its functioning, to
aid them In shaping their policies
and operations in the discovery,