Mr. Ickes Strikes Oil

Next winter's oil shortage in the East (TIME, May 26) may not be so bad as Harold Ickes made it sound. The situation was serious, said other Government officials, but not alarming--yet. No one denied that there would be a shortage in the East because of the diversion of 50 tankers from U.S. coasts to help fuel Britain (TIME, June 9). But an exhaustive American Petroleum Institute report, which A.P.I, had submitted to Washington on the understanding that it would be kept secret, predicted that deliveries of oil to the Atlantic seaboard will be reduced by 8.8% this summer, by 15% next fall. The situation may ease after the first quarter of 1942, provided new tankers now building are not also diverted to war use. Brash, alarming Mr. Ickes, three days after he was crowned Petroleum Coordinator for National Defense, himself released this supposedly secret information.

Ickes' warnings of "gasless Sundays" recalled World War I days, when Sunday driving became treasonous, children stoned cars, and pedestrians yelled "slacker" at any driver who ventured out. Since then the Sunday ride has become a major U.S. recreation. Washington, in 1941, shrank from spoiling it, preferred a straight rationing system which would fix the amount of gasoline a consumer could buy each week, permit him to use it whenever he pleased.

Mr. Ickes, who had at last flapped into the middle of the defense program, honked ominously. "When I get my feet on the ground I'll do what's necessary."

First thing he did was appoint Ralph K. Davies, of Standard Oil Co. of California, as Deputy Petroleum Coordinator, a job reported last week to have gone to Texan Alvin J. Wirtz. Oilmen, who like and respect Davies, drew one small breath of relief.

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