Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-06-13

I spectfully wish TO submit the reasons
why we think such step Is unneces-
I sary and will be detrimental rather
than beneficial to the work Of carry
ing on the war, especially as far as
the state of Montana is concerned.
Two reasons have been advanced
for rationing Of gasoline; first, be-
cause Of the transportation bottleneck,
and. second, in order to conserve rub
Der. The transportation bottlenecks,
however, are admittedly confined to
the east and west coasts. Therefore
this is not ground for nationwide
rationing. SO far as conserving rubber
is concerned general rationing may
have that effect to certain extent
but it will be so paralyzing in other
directions to the carrying on Of pro-
duction and transportation necessary
to the war effort, especially in areas
like Montana where there are great
distances to be traversed, that the eff
feet will be very adverse.
Montana has a sufficient supply Of
crude oil and gasoline to carry on its
own activities. The states contribution
to the war effort is largely one Of
the production of raw materials which
must be moved to market. These raw
materials are all necessary in the car
rying on Of the war. They are farm
products, livestock, wool, metals, crude
petroleum, sugar and lumber. All OF
these raw products going to the mill,
factory, smelter, refinery and packing
plant, must be moved great distances
from their source and the only effi-
Gent and adequate means Of trans
portation is by automobile and truck.
To deny the gasoline necessary to
carry on these activities or to ration
gasoline where sufficient is available
to carry them on so that the activities
would be curtailed in any degree viii
be a setback to the productive power
Of the state for the war effort.
After careful consideration of the
proposed gasoline rationing and
weighing the benefits to be derived
therefrom as against the disadvan-
tages to the war effort, and looking
at it strictly from that standpoint,
we have come to the following con-
clusions of fact:
l. During the first quarter Of 1912,
the total consumption of gasoline by
all motor vehicles in Montana has
been voluntarily reduced total Of
APIS ,444 gallons or a total Of 1857
percent and during the month Of
March, 1912, the actual reduction in
gasoline consumption amounted to
24.36 percent. This reduction has been
caused by a greatly reduced speed Of
motor travel on the part of practically
all car drivers and by a greatly re-
duced road mileage travel by prac-
tically everyone able to reduce their
car travel in the normal operation of
their business. This reduction is a
general overall reduction including
industry and farm operations through
which no reduction can be expected
and which, In checking, has probably
shown an increase in gasoline con-
sumption for this same period. 1t is
estimated that the civilian automo-
bile consumption that would normally
be subject to any rationing has been
reduced during the first four months
of 1912 a total Of approximately "a
percent over corresponding period
of 1941, which reduction has been eff
fected by a voluntary reduced speed
and car travel on the part of the pub
lie generally in their effort to prolong
the life of their tire equipment and
therefore aid in the war effort.
2. A survey Of the potential tourist
travel in the state of Montana for
the year, 1912, indicated that there
win be practically no such travel dur
ing the year, 1912, with or without
gasoline rationing.
g. 1t is a fact that because Of the
area of the state of Montana 1t is
for the very meager popula-
ton of the state, amounting to less
than 100000 people in all, to travel
with automotive equipment great dis
tanceS in comparison with other dis
tricts of the United States, in order
to transact normal and necessary bust
ness in connection with farming, live
stock, mining, and oil operations. AS
an instance, it is estimated that the
Great Falls, Mont, trade area alone
covers a radius of $50 miles as
minimum in all directions from the
city of Great Falls. In a great many
instances, farmers living
near the Canadian border find it nee
eSsary from time to time TO travel to
and from Great Falls, distance of
$50 miles, for needed farm machinery
repairs, banking, federal office con-
facts, and so forth, attendant to the
operation of their farms Investiga-
tons show that at the present time
these farmers are restricting many
such travels to bare instances Of nee
essity in their effort to conserve tires,
and that no further reduction in such
travel would be achieved in such a
gasoline rationtng program whereas
any attempt to fix maximum gaso-
line consumption In such instance by
rationing would undoubtedly create
serious interference with the normal
operation Of such farms In a great
many instances. This same case can
be applied throughout the state of