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Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT
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OPA Appropriation May Be Cut If Oil Price Raise Not Fixed Plans for making continuation of OPA contingent upon agree ment of that bureau to establish a fair price for çrude oil, based oi parity, are among recent developments in the battle to erase the present ruinous price structure. Originator of the plan is Ralph Zook president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America. The life of the office of price administration expires on June 30, 1044." President Zook pointed out in a message to members of his or ganization. "When and if a bill re newing the life of this organization is passed by congress it should in clude a formula on oil which would make it mandatory on the part of the OPA to maintain crude oil prices on a parity with other com modities." The OPA recently blocked the oil industry's demands for a 35-cent-a harre! price increase, contending it would be out of line with the ad ministrations "hold-the-line" eco nomic program. Oil men then sought a remedy in congress. The house passed a bill to force a 35 cent increase. However, the meas ure bogged down in senate commit tee, and some authorities lost their zest for it. Some pointed out if con gress had the right to raise the price of oil it later could reduce it at any time "at its whim." President Zook was critical of the OP A 's plan for subsidy payments to keep stripper wells, now operating at a loss, in operation. Thousands of such wells have been abandoned in the last two years. ' The purpose of the subsidy pay ments cannot he other than a delib erate plan to divide the industry," said Zook. "It is purely a political gesture. Otherwise, a full subsidy plan would he presented that would prevent the abandonment of strip per wells, Increase secondary re covery operations, and promote •wildcatting' for new fields. Meanwhile, oil men were discuss ing a statement that oil from Arabia could be laid down and sold in New York at a profit on a price of $1.35 h barrel. Denver oil men said the freight charges alone on a barrel of Wyoming to New York amount to $1.50. They said such an influx of Arabian oil eventually would wreck the American oil in dustry. They pointed out it would reduce the price of gasoline in the eastern part of the United States for a time, but later when the Dutch and British got together prices would be raised. Oil leaders were demanding that the government put an embargo on foreign oil and take the output available in this country. 1 1 was pointed out there is plenty of flush production in east Texas avail able. It also was pointed out that the government is buying land by mil lions of acres, creating a new prob lem of public land. Many govern ment agencies are acquiring land 1 oil rom under a new policy, oil men said. The new policy provides that when th£ United States sells such newly purchased land it will retain three fourths the government has entered into of the mineral rights. Thus, 7 AA GREASE DXE. OILS BRB GREASE DELVÄC s -*■« ! Lubricants y ■ . 4 I -i-i C Ï < I THE WORLD'S GREATEST fabricating «peri «oe» into the making of Gargoyle Lubricant«. From lubri c at in g "know-bow" garnered over 78 yean we create lubricants for every part of every machine made) Give your precious, war-weary machines the Unest lubricants and your staff the most skilled lubrication counsel avaUaMa. 80CONY-VACUUM OIL COMPANY. INC., Flm National Bank Bldg., Great Falls, Montana. CALL IN SOCONY-VACUUM " business having to do with the oil and mining Industry, oil men pointed out. With bureaucrats In charge of such competition, all sorts of new regulations might be ex pected, leaders declared. Northwest Plant Has New Heads It was announced this week by T. J. Landry, head of the Carter Oil refineries, northwest division, at Billings, that Bud Johnson was now refinery superintendent of the Northwest refinery and that Dick Burns was assistant refinery super intendent. ' Mr. Johnson came here in Feb ruary, 1937, from Sunburst, where he had worked for the Texas com pany. He has been operating fore man here until his recent promo tion became effective. Mr. Bums came here in Febm aiy, 1937, from Laurel. Montana, where he had worked for the In dependent Refining Co., and has been the chief chemist at the Griz zly, plant until he was given his new position. Ralph Wood, who has been re finery assistant superintendent here under Mr. Landry, will go to Bil lings with the Carter company and will be chief mechanical engineer for the northwest division of the Carter Co. Mr. Wood's family will remain here until school Is out. The refinery is maintaining full capacity operations and no new plans or other changes were an nounced at this time. However, the office equipment necessary Is being moved from here to the Billings office. Personnel will follow at a later date.—Cut Bank Pioneer Press. ANOTHER DECREASE IN CRUDE STOCKS Stocks of domestic and foreign crude petroleum at the close of the week ended April 1 totaled 234,667, 000 barrels, according to data re norted to the Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior. Compared with the total of 236,285,000 barrels for the preced ing week, this represents a decrease of 1,618,000 barrels, comprising a decrease of 1,038,000 barrels in stocks of domestic crude, and a de crease of 580,000 barrels in stocks of foreign crude. GAS FOR GARDENERS Victory gardeners will again be granted special gasoline rations to travel to and from their plots this summer, the Office of Price Admin istration has announced. Excitement At Low Ebb In Cut Bonk (Continued (ram Pift 1) C NE SW 30-33-5W Spudded 3-8-44. COMPLETION. 4-13-44. T. D„ 2980. No fluid. Testing (ARTRB-B. UOOIR SO, 1-A C 8E SW 1M7-5W Spudded 4-6-44; drilling, 875. E. L. COBB-TRIBAL • SO. > 8E SW NW 24 32-6W Spudded 3-27-44; drilling, 1260. COBB-JEFPRIBB-MUELLER SO. S SB NW BW 2-SMW Spudded 4-7-44; drilling, 600. CONSOLIDATED G AS-PR ART ALLOT TED 8744 SO 1 C NW SW SW 13-32-6W Spudded 4-6-44; drilling, 120. CON. OAS-PRART-TKIRAL MS SO A NW NW SE 24 32-6W Spudded 2-22-44. COMPLETED. 4-4-44. T. D- 3118; 760 feet of oil from lower Cut Bank. 3075-3088. Swabbed 38 bbU first 12 hours before shot. Shot 60 qts. Cleaning. A. B. CRUMLEY -TRIBAL CONTRACT • NO. 3 C SE NW SB 28-32-8 W Rig up. GLACIER PRODUCTION -BON S BTT NO s C SE SB 33-3SN-6W Spudded 3-28-44; drilling, 1865. GLACIER PROD.-O. CORRIGEAIT! SO. 8 C SE SW SW 28-36-8W Spudded 3-20-44; drilling, 2405. GLACIER PRODUCnON-SIMBRO NO. 6 C SE SW NE 6-33-6W Spudded 4-1-44; drilling, 1380. GRACE HAGGERTY-TRIBAL CONTRACT 4 No. 8— NW NNE SW 24 32-6W Spudded 3-15-44; drilling, 2360. WRIGHT HAGGERTY-TRIBAL4 NO. 8 C NW NE 32-32-6W Spudded 3-22-44; drilling, 1600. C. W. JEFFRIES-TRIBAL CONTRACT 16 NO. 3— SE NE SE 23-32-6W Spudded 3-10-44; drilling, 1680. JACK LEWIS-TRIBAL 18 NO. I SE NE NB 28-32-6W Spudded 1-28-44. COMPLETED, 4-3-44. tT D., 3251. Show lower Cut Bank, 3170 3197. Shot 160 qtt. Shot 140 qtt. Clean ing WILLIAM NORMAN-TRIBAL 8 NO. « NW NE SW 32-32-6W Rig up. PARDEE A CA8TLB8-TKSKAL lie HO. 8 NW NW NE 13-32-5W Spudded 1-2*44: COMPLETION, 3-11-44. Main pay, lower Cut Bank. 2990-2995 T. D„ 3014. Made 17 barrels flm 24 hour«. Shot 10, 20 and 50 qU. Standing. TARRANT-MILLER no. b C SE SE NE 24-34-6W Spudded 3-28-44; drilling, 1725. TEXACO-BON'NBTT NO. 3 SW NW 17-32-5W Spudded 2-8-44; standing, 526. TEX AGO-FEE M 48» NO. S C NW NE NE 31-82-6 Spudded 3-9-44; drilling in, 2865. TKXACO-McCAULY b HO. 1— C NW NW 86-38-6W Spudded 2-22-44; drilling, 2665. NO. ie w TEXACOUNDQUMT C NW SE 20-82-5W Drilling, 2660. TEXAOO-UHIT BBC. II NO. 6 C NE NW 11-86-6W Spudded 4-1-44; drilling, 1166. TRIGOOD-ALLOTTED 861 NO. 1 NW NK NE 6-81-5W - spudded 2-29-44. COMPLETED, 4-6-44. Show oU, 2920-3012. P. A A. TRIOOOD-TRIBAL 88» NO. 8 CNWSWSW 29-32-5W Spudded 3-17-44; drilling, 1406. Pioneer Oil Insurance Experts Offer Montana and Wyoming Operator» OIL INSURANCE OF EVERY TYPE Lease bonds — workmen's compensation — all-risk liability — fire insurance for all oil properties, refineries, drilling rigs, spudders and trucks. WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY! Blanket and Floater Forms Adapted to OU Field Insurance "CALL A MAN IN THE MOON (Write, Phone or Wire, Collect) MOON AGENCY, INC. Head Office: Great Falls, Mont. Phone 6858 Public Financing of Foreign Oil Search Flayed by Coolldge TContlnuad from Pu» 1) Touching on this, his letter says; "It must be remembered that the history of the oil business shows that the Independent wildcatter has developed the new fields and brought in most of the new re serves. New reserves and fields have been brought in in the most unexpected places, but now we have scientific devices that help to develop additional reserves o n structure. In other words, the sci entist or the geologist has more chance to tell you where the oil is not than where it is to be found, but the final answer to the develop ment of crude oil and additional re serves is the six-inch bit or the rotary tools, and this work cannot be done without an adequate price for crude oil. "The army and the navy doubtedly promoting and helpin the major oil companies to go into foreign lands to develop additional reserves. The administration has spent and is now planning to spend additional large sums of taxpayers' money to subsidize the major oil companies to produce additional proouclion that will come in compe tition with oil produced in these United States. If these major oil companies Insist on going into for eign lands as an Investment to fur ther their own Interests, the people of these United States should not be forced to subsidize this work when an adequate reserve can be ob tained at home, where taxes will be paid on earnings to support our government instead of taxing the home boys to help produce oil for thê benefit of these majors to be sold In foreign lands. Congress should certainly stop this wasting of public funds.' Cha are un that the administration gely responsible for the if shortage, the letter Is itself lar nation's oi says: "The facts are that the admin istration is directly responsible tor a lack of reserves and rationing be cause they made the political ges ture of holding down the price of crude oil below the economic level of 'every other commodity to con vince the voters that they would not allow the major oil companies to make a lot of profit, as the Standard Oil companies have al ways stood out in the eyes of the public as the major monopoly that created all evils. They likely were the first great monopoly but at the present time there are many more greater monopolies than even the major oil companies." TRIOOOD-TRIBAL >8» NO. T NW 8E SW 29-32-6W Building rig. (FIRST REPORT) »■TRIBAL 331 HO. 5 Location*; FIRST REPORT) T1