Evening star., 1942-12-03
Crude Oil SHORTAGE
Admitted by Witness
AT Truman Inquiry
Petroleum Co-ordinotor's
Research Director Says
Figures Are Secret
By the Associated Press.

! By the Associated Press.
| KANSAS CITY. Dec. 3.-There
is crude oil shortage In the
United States, but the figures are
secret, Government witnesses
told Senator Trumans Wartime
Investigating Committee.
Chairman Truman countered with
the statement that precautionary
rationing of fuel oil in the pro-
ducing Midwest would "be vastly
improved by little horse sense"
Committeeman leave by plane for
Washington today, to resume the
| hearings Friday.
E. B. Swanson. director of re-
search for the petroleum co-ordi-
nator, and Writ Franklin, director
of production for the Chicago
region, were the final Government
witnesses.
Storage Declines.
Mr.. Swanson testified crude oil in
storage has declined more than 35.-
000,000 barrels in the past year in
the. area east of the Rocky Noun
tains; he blamed transportation
limitations and said the only way
to make up the shortage is to re-
duce consumption.
Mr.. Franklin said slump in
drilling and exploratory activities
was also major factor. Previous
witnesses had told the committee
that wildcatting seeking new
fields was at standstill because
priorities for necessary materials
could not be obtained,
Mayor John B. Gage and earlier
professors declared that fuel oil is
plentiful here and should not be
rationed since coal and gas-the
alternative fuels-are not plentiful.
Senator Truman interrupted testi-
mony yesterday by Regional Fuel
Oil Administrator Ralph C. Kanaar,
Dallas, Tex, to remark:
1T seems to me we could use a
little horse sense and set up basis
that would work in this area. It's
not working now"
Mr.. Kanaar admitted he could
think of some improvements which
didn't come to him "on the spur
of the moment
The basis taken was a 43-year
period Mr.. Kanaar said. That
was figured in Washington -"
That's only the average tempera-
lures you're referring to-" Senator
Truman interjected. why didn't
you base it on actual consumption?
Our information is that you cut
some persons 50 per cent. Did you
base that on your information 43
years ago?'
We're using number of factors"
Mr.. Kanaar replied, set up by
Washington"
Explains Formula.
Mr., Kanaar explained the formula
by saying all homes were classed
as efficient" or moderately eff
cient" and the square feet of floor
space figured.
Then We apply the number of
people living in the home and make
out the table" he said 1T was
made out in Washington by some of
the outstanding engineers of the
Nation"
Name one" said Hugh Fulton,
committee counsel.
We'll, there's Joe Dean" .
who's hep"
Il think he's professor In some
university" Mr.. Kanaar said
DO you take last years consump-
ton into consideration" Mr.. Fulton
asked.
We'll, there will be errors" Mr..
Kanaar answered
There will be-" Senator Truman
exclaimed. There has been! There
has been nothing but errors to come
out of this whole thing"
Charles E. Johnston, chairman OF
the Western division of the Ameri- |
can Association of Railroads, ac-
knoWledged that trains can haul
more Oil eastWard-but he testified
that unloading facilities in the East
cannot handle heavier shipments.
He said he did not see how fuel-oil
rationing here could solve that prob
lem, and neither would it help. he
added. to have to haul more coal
from East to West to replace re-
duced fuel-oil allotments here,