The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-12-24
REP. COFFEE
WAGES WAR ON
OIL TRUST
Oil Fires Blaze AS Revolt
Against Oil Trust Stirs On
Capitol Hill; Tentacles of
Monopoly May Spread to
Other Industries.
BY JOHN CARSON, Washington
Representative, Coop League

| WASHINGTON.-Oil fires are burn
ing on Capitol Hill.
In some congressional offices ant
in some congressional cloakrooms
plans are being discussed for a "dec
laration of independence" against the
oil trust and an organized effort tc
take back those parts of the govern
ment the oil trust has captured.
Consumers, and particularly mem
bers of consumer cooperative organi
cations who know that a free market
must be preserved if democracy is to
survive, should get copy of the Con-
gressional Record for December 10th
and read the report of the speech
made by Congressman John Coffee of
Washington. Then they should get
the copy of the Record for October
10Th and read, again, the report of
the speech made by Congressman Jer-
ry Voorhis of California.
No member of congress commands
more respect for integrity and cour-
age and desire for factual informa-
ton than do Coffee and Voorhis
They, and others, have long resented
the influence the oil trust lobby has
had in government, and the influence
is revealed in executive departments
for more than it is in congressman
in congress it is bad enough Appar-
emily, they have issued their declara-
ton of independence and their appeal
to conscience. There is reason to be-
lieye, and to hope, that the arrogance
Of the oil trust may now cause one
of the most tremendous fights in our
government history, a fight on mo-
nopoly in general, but particularly a
fight on the oil monopoly.
Rarely has more scathing speech |
been made in the house than that |
which Coffee made in attacking the |
oil trust and the Petroleum Admins |
ration for War, the government regu- |
atory body which is administered by |
Harold L. Ickes, secretary of the In i
erior and Ralph K. Davies, vice presi-
lent of the Standard Oil Company Of
California and also deputy admins
rator of PAW Coffee applied a new
lame to PAW. He called it "The
Petroleum Industry C6ancil Of Major /
)il Company Executives Concerned
With Making War on Independents"
Coffee began by saying that he had
dvised the house in April of 1912
hat "oil is going to play a very inn
ortant part in this war" He added
hat he should have said "oil is going
decide this war" And then he
aid that had he known what he
nows now, he would have declared
hat "the production of this vital oil
yas going to be so manipulated that (
he big producers would drive every
in the oil industry out of !
usiness." (
1t is impossible to put into news {
aper story everything that Coffee {
aid. He told how the Department of
ustice brought antitrust proceedings
gainst the oil trust in 1888, how as {
luch as three billions of dollars were {
lvolved, how mysterious influences /
allied the proceedings and how a a
consent decree" was presented to a }
,deral judge for approval on Decem-
er "a, 1871 and how the judge re- |
arked "Ah, the Christmas spirit | t
srceive." o
He told how the oil companies sent
congress ga then almost unbeliev- I
)le document entitled "basic objec- p
yes" and in which they "brazenly',, il
It forth their purpose to have gov il
nment "co-ordinator' established for h
|, how power would be vested in c
m and how individual units in the p
| industry would find themselves in d
, position to decline to comply vol