The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-09-03

disintegrated to a certain extent but
the industry has expanded to point
where the same condition exists and
every district in the United States is
controlled by the same major com
panies.
Let me plead with you to recon
slider this increased price of crude oil
and if public sentiment so demands,
hold the price of all refined products
at their present level. This will give
an opportunity to live and let live and
the Independent oil man will be able
to carry on and do his bit towards
the winning of this war as we are
going all out, spending every dime we
can get hold of to develop more pro-
duction which we know is now being
sold at or less than the cost of pro-
duction
Very sincerely yours,
E. B. COOLIDGE.
|
August 26, 1913
Mr. Phillip Murray, President
Congress of Industrial Organizations
Washington, D. G.
Dear Mr. Murray:
l note in an article issued at Wash
| ington headed "Oil Interests are Ac-
cused by Labor Group" that the major
oil companies are trying to put over
million dollar steal on the people
by pressing for 35 cents barrel
increase in the cost of crude oil"
The fact was mentioned that 1S oil
companies which composed the major
group of companies, likely would
make 1919 increase over the cores
ponding period in 1912, but this is due
to the increased turnover in refined
products.
While this article only covered IL
companies, l speak as a representa-
tive of the thousands of Independent
oil producers who have no income ex-
cept the sale of crude oil, while these
Is majors hold complete units of pro-
duction, refining and marketing. We
independents are being quickly taken
out of circulation and are being
DOuSlt Oub VI III SCu " AiqUiodSO ~
pressure of the majors. Before the
war the major companies only pro-
duced 1870 of the nations supply
while we Independents produced 52To.
At the present time, we are told that
the major companies control 1870 of
the total supply while the independ-
ents that are left produce only 22%o
of the total.
We do know that Mr.. Ickes advo-
Gated an increased price in crude oil
of 35 cents barrel, but the facts
of the matter are it is immaterial to
these Is majors whether this price is
increased or not as they make their
profit from the consumer by taking
their major profit from the refining
and distribution. The facts are that
the major oil companies do not want
this increase but this propaganda was
only put out to kid the little fellows
along to expend their reserve cash in
new development and then to be taken |
over later by these major corpora
tions The facts are that the atti-
tude of the government is driving all |
of the Independents out of business
and these Is major companies will
eventually be an absolute monopoly |
over the oil business in these United
States There could be no additional
profit made by these major oil COM
panies if the retail price of all re-
fined products were held at their pres
emit level, but an increased price of
IS cents per barrel would save the
of the country as we
are now producing oil at or below
he cost of production and it is only a
natter of a short time before we will
Do forced out of business and unable
% survive.
1t must be evident to you that if the
present prices are held, the consum-
ng public will not be penalized in
my way nor will the majors be
,enalized only to the extent of the :