The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-02-22
Observations
% Senate May Probe
Giant Pipeline in
Arabia
BY Helen Essery

\ uOu udi tlNu luf toAi -oAiSii
OF the governments international
oil policy is shaping up in the Sen
ate. Demands for inquiries are
being made because OF the an
nouncement by Petroleum Admin
istrator Harold lckes OF the giant
Arabian pipeline project to cost be
tween 100 and los million dollars.
The pipeline is intended to tap
the Ara bian KuWait oil concessions
owned by three large American
companies: Standard Oil OF Cali
To- mia. the Texas Company and the
Gulf Oil Corporation. The com
panies are understood to be re-
luctant to tie up their own money
in the project
Several senators are raising the
objection that the project would
place the government in the oil
business and would involve this
nation in property rights in one
of the worlds most tempestuous
trouble areas Other oil companies
are displeased.
A Senate Interstate Commerce
subcommittee is prepared TO inves-
tigate the matter Meanwhile, the
Truman War investigating Commit
tee is getting ready to recommend
that Congress look into the whole
matter
PRE.CoNVENTION political ma
nouverinZs among Republican
presidential aspirants have served
on two occasions TO put the Demo
cratic administration ION the spot.
Wendell Willkie fired the latest
bombshell when he let it be known
he wanted TO visit South American
countries to assure them he would
continue the good neighbor' poll
CIV il elected. The next move is
up TO the Democratic-controlled
State Department
Wilkes shipping was equaled
II not exceeded by the Republican
governor OF New York, Thomas Z.
Dewey, who succeeded in forcing
the federal Department OF Justice
TO release Louis Uepke) Buch-
halter 10 New York state authori-
ties who have sentenced him 10
death.
The federal government had
sought 10 hold Lepke on a mar
cotics charge until Dewey could
give guarantees that he would be
executed. Dewey won out over
the government.
AVIATION and merchant ship
ping officials are greatly concern"
ed over Americas place in the
postwar international transporta-
tion picture.
Experts in both fields are fully
aware OF the fact that several for
eign nations, with lower living
standards. are already prepared to
launch into world trade with
yegeance when the shooting stops.
Cheaper foreign competition,
they point out, has always threat
ened American trading and in the
case OF merchant shipping brought
about the need for a government
subsidy.
CAPITOL HILL OBSERVERS
comment these days that despite
the fuss aroused by Congress over
the soldier voting legislation. most
OF our fighting men overseas are
more interested in winning the war
than in voting.
Congressman Alvin Weichel (Rl
Of Ohio bit the nail ON the noggin'
when he pointed out that its
not a question OF whether the SOL
der can vote but how. Weichel
explained that every soldier has
the right TO vote but that public
opinion seemed 10 be that Con.
gress was debating whether or not
10 give seryicemen the privilege.
THE WACS DO NOT INTEND
TO make any drastic changes in
their present uniforms despite cri-
ticism in some quarters that the
outfits, especially the hats. we're
not becoming and that they result
cd in a drop in recruiting.
WAC sources insist that officers
and enlisted personnel are proud
Of the Uniforms. Nevertheless.
the feminine eye for clothes being
what it is, it is a good guess that
many a new recruit might join the
service II something snapper in
the line OF uniforms were offered.
Present enrolment is about e4,-
600 as against the authorized
strength Of 100000.