The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1944-03-31
Capitol Letters



is owned, so per cent, by the British
government. The British interest thus
is not so apparent in the enterprise,
an enterprise which had to be cloaked
in American patriotism Why the
Shell company is not involved in the
contract is one of the interesting un-
answered questions. It is true that
Shell and Standard of New Jersey and
Socony were accorded some recogni-
ton III the contract for the pipe line
They were not in the game and hold
ing cards-they merely had reserved
ring-side seats.
Why did these great oil companies
run to the government for $4,000, 900
to finance the building of the pipe
| line?
The oil companies, one and all have
lived so long on government pay they
would naturally expect to continue to
drain the public treasury. But they
would not have worried about gather
| ing $130000,000 without going to the
public treasury
But that part of the world through
which this pipe line would be built is
storm center, with wars and rumors
of wars the news of the day. There
is justifiable question whether the
British government can rule that
country where Arabs are melted
against Jews and Jews are melted
against Arabs by the exploiters who
benefit through dividing "the people,"
1t would be tremendously advan-
tageous to the British, and to the
American and British oil interests, if
the American government. should
build pipe line through that storm
ridden country and should establish,
as it would have to, an army along
the route of the pipe line to protect it.
That is the story behind this oil deal
which makes nerves jump in official
Washington every time it is discussed.
The people of the United States
are buying probably nothing for the
$130,000,00 it is now proposed to take
from them, if Voorhis is correct. But
it is entirely possible they would be
buy dAOthCl w di VI SUITES Ol wars.
You ask why the oil companies
could not get together to exploit the
Arabian basin, and why Standard of
New Jersey is now denouncing the
deal
controlling factor in the postwar eco
nomic and political wordI
Standard of New Jersey has always
been the boss of the petroleum COM
Danies. There is the seat of the
dynasty and you would be
amazed at the number of places in
official Washington, and official
world, where the Rockefeller inter-
,st have placed their friends
Before the war, Standard of New
Jersey was allied with the l. G. Far
,en-industries international cartel.
7he British had some interest in that
artel but, primarily, it was dominated
" the Germans. Standard of New
ersey declared it was divorced from
'arben when war was declared-but
II wars end. Farben is no Humpty
)umpty. Farben may have dropped
IF the wall but Farben can be put
ack together again-and will be.
The Arabian deal is, apparently one
l which Standard of California and
ne British are primarily interested.
Those facts may indicate how great
J the possibility of war to the death
yer control of the Arabian fields,
ar involving great international car
Els which are already making their
lans to rule the world.
The Petroleum Industry War Coun-
i denounced the Arabian deal. The
rst outburst against it from the oil
ldustry was heard in the Middle
lest where independents" arose to
,und the alarm. Standard of New
srsey joined the independents" AS
)u know, there are very, very few
in the oil industry.
ost of the so-called independents"
ugh whenever the throat of the
ajor oil companies is tickled, and
en- only
The important thing is that Stand
d of New Jersey and PIWC have
emendous advantages now in war
tn Standard of California and it's
W associates. They have the adj
an aroused public opinion over
al which brews smelly odors
The further point of interest is that
andard Of New Jersey, long mon
CHI in oil and industry and finance
d official government, has friend
Ups official Washington of far
eater Importance than has Standard
California. If Ickes continues his
hit for the Arabian contract it is
tirely possible that Ickes' head may
l.
Dave this is a long and vitality i'm
rtant story. I'll answer your ques-
MS about the Canol project, about
flats role in this matter, and about
} chances for real investigation
my next column.