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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1921)
VOL. LX XO. 18,834 Entered at PS r 1 1 n d toregon ) PORTLAND, OREGON, SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 1921 PRICE FIVE CENTS FENTON LAW LIBRARY IS GIVEN UNIVERSITY EX RULER HEADED GIRL, 5, IS FATALLY $2,000,000 HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION NEAR COM5IISSIOX PLAXS ACTIVE PITY K IWmW NO NEW BIG TAXES CUT 111 GASOLINE INJURED BY TRUCK uiii - iu nnniiLiiiiiu MAy BE NECESSARY III CRASH AT SEA F TO DUTY TO CHEST E ATTORNEY 3IAKES GIFT IX MARJORIE BLEID DIES AS RE PENROSE DOUBTS WISDOM OF PROPOSED SALES CHARGE. MEMORY OF DEPARTED SOX. SCIT OF ACCIDEXT. ' SUMMER ' PROGRAMME. E M OR SWISS BORDER PIC PREDICTED V 7 Passengers and 3 of Governor's Crew Lost. Between 10,000 and 12,000 Vol umes In Collection Cost Be tween $15,000 and $17,300. STEAMERS HIT IN LIGHT FOG Heroism of Crew Marks Res cue of Survivors. WEST HARTLAND DOCKS Freighter Reported o Have Struck "Passenger Craft Investigation Into Collision Begun. SEATTLE. Wash. April 1. The inking of the steamship Governor early this morning after she bad been rammed by the freighter West Hartland off Point Wilson, near Port Townsend. Wash., resulted in the probable loss of ten lives seven pas sengers and three members of the crew. Although officers of the Admiral line tonight declared that the num ber of missing might be reduced, a complete check of the passenger list of the Governor showed the following persons to be unaccounted for: Passengers. W. Washburn Sadie. 12, and and lone. two 14. Mrs. W. daughters. Keah Bay. ' V. Brulsema, San Francisco. . F. Sheek. San Francisco. 3. Claney, Los Angeles. Alfred Kaseau. Los Angeles. Crew. Grant Christenaen. second assistant junior engineer. C. M. Aubrittan, fireman, H. Webster, waiter. Federal steamboat inspectors began a preliminary investigation into the collision. - Jaajalry Held la Secret. "The inquiry, which was called to determine whether officers of either hip shou'd be charged respon sibility for the accident, was held behind closed doors. Witnesses called included Captain John Alwen, master of the West Hartland; Captain E. P. Bartlctt of the Governor and Captain Harry Martin, Puget sound pilot, who was In charge of the passenger liner when the collision occurred. . United States District Attorney Saunders also ordered a sweeping in vestigation. The West Hartland is a hipping board vessel, although under charter to the Pacific Steamship com pany, owners of the Governor, and the liability of the freighter, if any, Mr. Saunders said, might eventually fall on the government. ( Ssrvlvwrsj Takes Seattle. The survivors were brought to Se attle on the West Hartland, which, although badly damaged, was able to proceed under her own steam. They were cared for immediately upon ar rival by a corps of doctors and nurses hastily assembled. One woman. Mrs. Sarah Cane of Los Angeles, was so severely Injured that she was taken to a hospital. She was reported re covering tonight. The Governor tonight was lying in water many fathoms deep, three quarters of a mile northeast of Point Wilson, in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. She foundered at 1:15 A. M., one hour and 11 minutes after she had been rammed by the freighter. No bodies from the wreck were found. Fog: Is Declared Slight. Accounts of passengers, ship's of ficers and others who witnessed the collision differed as to minor details cf the accident. All practically agreed, however, that, while there was a slight tog, the vessels could be seen as they approached each other. Ships' officers decl'ned to discuss the ques tion of responsibility for the collision pending the outcome of the official inquiry. Some passengers, according to newspaper men, said they "believed the Governor mistook the West Hart land's ship lights for shore lights. There was no official confirmation of this theory, however. Heroic rescues of passengers by other passengers and members of the crew were features of the disaster. Mother Reran? to Leave Mrs. W. W. Washburn of Neah Bay, Wash., refused to leave her two chil dren, who were pinned beneath wreckage in their stateroom, and went down with them, despite the efforts of two sailors to rescue her. Her husband, who was - unable to leacb his family after the accident, was saved. Officers and passengers alike declared ' that complete order was maintained, and the transfer of the survivors to the West Hartland accomplished speedily. The Governor, owned by the Pa cific Steamship company, operators of the Admiral line, left Victoria. B. C, t 9:30 last night, and had just cleared Port Townsend on the fina" lug of fcer' voyage to Seattle when the acci dent occurred. The West Hartland, a shipping board vessel operated by the Pacific Steamship company, was en route from Victoria to Bombay and was beaded for Port Townsend for final clearance papers. I.laht Keeper Sees Wnek. William G. Thomas, veteran keeper at the Point Wilson lighthouse, was almost an eyewitness of the collision. Describing it for.the Associated Press fNIVEHSITT OF OREGON. Eu gene, April 1. (Special.)-r-In mem ory of Kenneth Lucas Fentan, his son. who was accidentally killed on May 31. 1917. William D. Fenton of Port land has given his noted law library to the law school for the University of Oregon. Kenneth Fenton' was graduate of this school. The Fenton library consists of re ports of every state in the union, from the beginning of the unio,n to date, and of Alaska; of complete, re ports of the supreme court of the United States; of the statutes at large of the United States, from the foun dation of the government, of the law yers' reports annotated (53 volumes) and of the digest. The cost of this library has been between 345.000 and 147,500, it is said. The state reports are all the orig inal single volume editions. There is also an extensive and varied collec tion of textbooks, both old and re cent, including the most authoritative works of reference. There is a com plete file of the session laws of the Oregon legislature, many of which are out o-f print. The early session laws of OreJCn, and certain rare vol umes of state reports from New Jer sey, Rhode Island and Georgia, being out of print, are extremely valuable. The library contains between 10,000 and 12,000 volumes. It is now loaded aboard a car for shipment to Eugene and should arrive within two or three days. Seventy packing cases weigh ing more than 300 pounds each were required for shipment. Mr. Fenton began accumulating his library in 1ST5, and added to it stead ily until the. beginning of 1931. He is now ill at his home at 110 East Six teenth street. Portland. Mr. Fenton was bora in Missouri in 1853 and emi grated to Oregon in 1865. In those days. what is now the normal school at Monmouth was the old Christian college, and Mr. Fenton received his A. B. and M. A. from it. He read law while acting as assistant librarian at Salem and was admitted to the bar in December, 1875. He was counsel for the Southern Pacific company's lines in Oregon from 1891 to 1917. Kenneth Fenton was graduated from Portland academy, the Univer sity of Oregon law school, and Yale university. He had been his father's partner for seven years prior to his death. He was widely known In Port land as a rugby, baseball and track man. Charles Safd to Have Left Steinamanger. . ALLIES WARN HUNGARY Blockade Probable if Throne Is Restored, Says Note. ARMY: CANT BE FOUND Coup d'Etat by ex-Emperor De clared Complete Failure Lit tle Xeighbors Get Ready. . PARIS. April 1. A dispatch to the East Europe agency from Budapest today said ex-Emperor Charles, ac companied by two British officers, had left Steinamanger for Switzer land. There was no confirmation of this report from other sources. ' " STAR'S MAID GETS $2000 Terms of Late Anna Held's Will Disclosed in Court. SAX FRANCISCO. April 1. Certain terms of the will of Anna Held, mu sical comedy star, were made known here today when a petition was filed in the superior court to have legal confirmation of the sale of some sugar company stock held by Miss Held here. According to the will, which was submitted to the court, Beatrice Brlochi, Milan. Italy. Miss Held's maid, receives 32000; Lillian Russell Moore, the actress, a brooch set with pearls and sapphires, and Miss Aimee Leslie, Chicago, a circle bracelet set with sapphires. SAN FRANCISCO, April 1 Anna Held, musical comedy star, left prop ert valued at approximately 3100,000, the Chief beneficiary being her daugh ter, Lenna Carrera, according to papers filed today. ine puik oi the estate is in Newt York. VIENNA, April 1. Completion of arrangements for the departure from Steinamanger of ex-Emperor Charles was announced by the newspapers. He was to leave tonight on a special train accompanied by two British staff officers and an escort of entente troops, according to the newspapers. Xta-ht Trip Scheduled. The train was scheduled to pro ceed by way of Vienna, Salzburg and Buchs, passing Vienna at night. All the stations were to be closed while the train passed PARIS. April 1. (By the Assocl ated Press.) The attempted coup d'etat of ex-Emperor Charles of Austria-Hungary has been a failure, ac cording to the impression profiling in French official circles tonight. This view was based on dispatches from diplomatic sources in Hungary. French officials said they had found it impossible to 'locate the army of 15,000 soldiers reported, to be marching on Budapest. - If such an army existed, the French said, .its movements were amazingly well con cealed. Warning was given Hungary today by the allies that the restoration of the -Hapsburg dynasty would entail disastrous consequences for the Hun garian'nation. Warning Is Ultima tarn. This warning, Issued through the council of ambassadors, constituted a virtual ultimatum from the chief al lied powers Including Great Britain, trance, Italy and their lesser associ ates. It was given an additional point by the fact that it was communicated officially to the allied states by which Hungary is surrounded Czecho-Slovakia. Jugo-Siavia. Rou- Drlver - Freed After Investigation and Defense by Witnesses An' other Child Slightly Hurt. Marjorie Ble'd,- 6-year-old daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs.' Frank Bleid, 46 East Tenth street, died at St. Vin cent's hospital early last night, the result of being struck by an auto mobile truck; yesterday afternoon. while playing in the street near her home. She sustained a fracture skull and her breast was crushed. According to the story of witnesses, Marjorie started to run diagonally across the -street in front of the ex press truck driven by. E. H. Adamson, 879 Union avenue,' about 4:30 P. M. Adamson saw' her and slowed down driving in close to the curb. She be came confused, however, and after dodging back and forth in front of the truck several times, stopped in its path and was struck down. Police said last night that Adamson was careful and experienced driver, and his reputation, supported by the state ments of witnesses concerning the accident, won him immunity from ar rest. '. A second accident of the same nature was that in which Marion Clow, 9-year-old adopted daughter of Mrs. E. Lillequist, 570 Roselawn, ran diagonally across the intersection of Union avenue and Fremont street directly in front of an automobile driven by L. E. Kern, 660 Tillamook street, and was thrown to the pave ment. It was first reported that she was seriously injured, but an exami nation by the family physician showed that she was badly bruised, but had no broken bones. Kern was released after police investigated. (Conciued on Page 3. Column 1.) VESSEL LISTED MISSING Schooner Harvester Xot Heard From Since Xovember 4. SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., April 1 The four-master wooden schooner Harvester, carrying a crew of 15, was listed as missing today by Lloyd's Register of Shipping, due to her fail ure to put into any port since leaving Vavau, Tonga islands, for San Fran cisco, with a cargo of copra on No vember 47 Captain A. Olson and the crew were said by, the Charles Nelson company, shipping firm here and owners of the Harvester, to have shipped at Eureka last summer.- '' . - : . .- TURKS AND FRENCH FIGHT Rumors of Repudiation of Treaty Appear to Be Confirmed. LONDON, April 1. Fighting be tween the. Turks and ' French, In which the latter iost 20 killed, was reported - in messages from Cilicia, Asia-Minor, forwarded by- the Con stantinople correspondent of the Lon don Times. The news appeared to confirm per sistent rumors of repudiation by the Turkish nationalist administration at Angora of the. Franco-Turkish agree ment concluded in London. Paving of 5 0 Miles, Grading and Bridge Building to Be Decided at Session April 5-6. SALEM, Or., April 1. (Special.) Proposals for road improvements ag gregating a cost of more than 82,000, 000 will ,be considered at a two days' meeting of the state highway com mission to be held in Portland on April S and 6. The contemplated im provements include the paving of ap proximately SO miles of .highway, grading estimated at 80 - m'lcs, 25 miles of rock surfacing, considerable graveling and a number of substan tial bridges.' Under a recent ruling of the high way commission, future meetings will be . of .two . days' duration instead of one day as in the past. This Innova tion in the procedure of commission, it wqs explain by Roy Klein, secre tary of the body will give the small contractors an opportunity to com pete more successfully than under the present system - Because of the short sessions now held by the commission contractors whose proposals are rejected have to wait several months before ' they again can submit bids for state work. The two days' session will give con tractors whose bids are rejected onl the first day an opportunity to submit proposals for other work in the sec ond day of the meeting. Mr. Klein said" today that repre sentatives from many counties in Oregon would be present at the April meeting of the highway commission, and that the contracts, if awarded, will insure stimulation of the labor market during the summer. Besides the $2,000,000 of contracts to be awarded at this session -of the com mission, there is about 88,000,000 rep resented in projects for which bids were accepted at previous meetings and unfinished jobs carried over from last year. All of this work, which represents an aggregate expenditure of $10,000,000, will be completed this year, according to the commission. There also will come before the commission at the April meeting pro posals to issue bonds in several coun ties in Oregon for road improvement work in co-operation with the state. The proposed improvements for which bids will be. considered at the April meeting of the commission, as announced by the highway depart- i I Excess Profits Levy May Be Elim rttniTS tn HPT Wf I inated Without Extensive Tax a w W f V afl W YWWWJWWWI Total Are Renewed. I ABOUT $400,000 IS RAISED Noon Parade Today to Be Feature of Drive. NEW SPIRIT IS NOTED Boy Scouts and T. M. C. A., Y. W, C. A. and Ministers to Join Work to Obtain Full Quota. ment today, follow: T Crook county Ochoco highway. Prine- llle-Ochoco forest tccilon; 17.oi miles ot grading. Douglas county racuie . mgnway, ut- vide-Drain section, units- Nos. 1 and 2; 14.1 miles- ot paving. Bid received April 6. .... Pad lie mgnway, uamana Boutn section: I! miles ot paving. Bids received April 5. Douglas and Josephine counties Paclfle highway. Wolf creek-Galesvllle section; 14.1 miles of paving. Bids received April 5. Harney county central Oregon highway. Burns-Sage fen hill section; 14.52 miles of grading. Malheur county Old Oregon trail. On tario-Weiser section; 14.30 miles of grad ing and gravel surfacing. Bida received April 6. Lane county Pacific highway, 'Walker Goshen section; 9.8 miles of paving. Bids received April 6. Union county Old Oregon trail, Kamla Hligard section! 12.75 miles of grading, i Bids received April 6. Old Oregon trail. Hllgard-La Grande see- (Concluded on Page 3. Column 5.) MAYBE IT DOESN'T. LOOK SO GOOD TO HIM SINCE HE GREW LTO LONG PANTSi PASSION PLAY IN 1922 Village Elders of Oberaminergau Vote to Resume Custom. OBERAMMERGAU, Bavaria, April 1. The village elders of Oberammer- ga-. today voted to enact the Passion play in 1922. The last presentation was given in 1910. The peasants who portray the suf ferings and death of Jesus Christ in fulfillment of a vow made In 1634 to present the Passion play every ten years as an expression of gratitude for havins been spared from a plague. were unable to enact it in 1920 be cause of unsettled conditions and the havoc which the war wrought among the performers and musicians. SCOUT SAVES GIRL'S LIFE I -ad Plunges Into Coos Bay and Brings Tiny Miss Safely to Pier. NORTH BEND, Or., April 1. -(Special.) Jimmy Dingman, a boy scout, plunged Into the bay last night here and saved 3-year-old Theresa Bacon, v. ho had fallen through a hole In the wharf." The tide was fast carrying out the tot when Jimmy reached her and swam to a pier, holding her above water until John Melzer came to his rescue and got them both safely to land. FORMER EMPRESS WORSE Loving Care and Capable .Nursing iCoucuued oa Page 4, Column l. Keep Patient Alive. DOORN. Holland, April 1. (By the Associated Press. The condition of ex-Empress Augusta Victoria of Ger many took a turn for the worse today, according to a statement issued from Dgorn Castle this evening. - The state ment says: "The condition of the former era pi ess is worse. Only loving care, her surroundings and capable nursing are keeping the patient alive." - - r ; : : : : : r : ; i -A A A C , ' 1 III I 1.1 W XI I I 1 K V. l 11 I I. I II I C 111 I I J- I " " f at I Slowly but surely Portland is over coming its letnargy and awakening to the necessity of responding to the call of the community chest campaign to relieve crippled and homeless ba bies and children, cheerless adults and other unfortunate individuals In Port land who can exist only If the full quota of $850,000 Is obtained. Reports yesterday indicated that in a large measure the criticisms offered earlier in the week against the com munity chest plan were being over come and the campaign gaining new support. Official tabulated returns, which showed a total of $361,913 received from all sources at 6 o'clock last night were not the most encouraging, but it was pointed out that additional re turns for the day would probably bring the total In excess of $400,000. Greater Response Expected. The new spirit, which is being felt on all sides by the workers, has raised new hope in the hearts of the leaders, who feel that with the open ing of the second week of the cam paign the response to the call will be greater in many places than it was during the present week. A better understanding of the pur poses of the campaign, brought about through both publicity and efforts of the field - workers, are responsible, leaders declared, for the renewed Hope of early success. Early next week the heads of the 60 organizations for which the com munity chest campaign is being con ducted will be called into conference by Mayor Baker to work out a plan whereby the officers of the organiza tions may lend a hand in soliciting funds for the chest. These officials already have indicated their willing ness to aid, and many are engaged in the campaign. Programme to Be Made. It is planned to work out a com prehensive programme which these men and women will be asked to carry out, a programme which will carry these workers to the various individuals who have habitually sup ported these organizations, but who have not yet given adequate support to the chest campaign. Lists of subscribers of more than $25 are being prepared for publication as quickly as possible. The compiling ot the lists is difficult because of the iradequate force in the auditor's de partment. All churches in Portland will Join I the campaign following a conference yesterday between Mayor Baker and some of the ministers and Ralph Mc Afee of the church federation. Ar rangements were made for a general ' meeting of ail ministers and repre sentatives of all churches at the Y. M. C. A. auditorium at 2 o'clock this afternoon to lay plans for-complete church co-operation. In the notice of the meeting, sent out yesterday. Mayor Baker appealed for the dropping of religious or racial differences and the putting of the success of the campaign first. The life of the city's charity wOrk was declared to be at stake. t Students of the grammar and high schools .have shown unusual interest in the campaign and at Benson Poly technic school yesterday an organi zation of "minute men" was made in every room and department of the building. These special workers are directing the encouragement of their felloV pupils to contribute to the fund. Students old enough to earn money have been asked to pledge a definite sum, to be paid during the school year. 5 Pledged by One Boy. One boy who attends Ainsworth, school and who sells newspapers has pledged $5. Others are following in his steps. One of the features of the cam- I palgn today will be a noon-day pa rade in which hundreds or boys ana girls will participate. Arrangements have been made for the turnout of full membership of the Boy Scouts, the Y. M. C. A. boys, the B'nai B'rlth boys and the Community Service and T. W. C. A. girls. Mobilization of these organizations will be held at their respective head quarters at 11:30 o'clock this morning under the direction of the leaders in each branch of the service. The youngsters will be provided with ban ners, and have been coached in giv ing community chest yells and sing ing chest songs. The music for the parade will be furnished by the Mult nomah Guard band and the Boy Scout fife and drum corps. A spirit of rivalry will be inje'eted Into the parade through the offering of a prize for the organization which makes the best attendance record. to Take Its Place, View. WASHINGTON, D. C, April 1 Congress may find it unnecessary to provide any considerable number o new taxes in revising internal rev enue legislation. Chairman Penrose o the senate finance committee said today. "The question is being studied by our financial experts and it is en tirely possible that the excess profits tax can be repealed without resort to any extensive taxes to take its place, the senator said. The statement was made during discussion of the proposed sales tax as a substitute for the excess profits tax. The sale tax question, Senator Penrose said, will be the first subject before the senate finance committee at hearings on internal revenue re vision to start immediately after con gress convenes. Senator Penrose said there was "strong propaganda" in favor of the sales tax, but he and other committee members bad yet to be convinced that it is practical or desirable. NOBODY WANTS TOWN JOB Kiowa, Kan., Held Election Hus to Be Nevertheless. TOPEKO, Kan., April 1. The city clerk of Kiowa, Barber county, today asked Richard J. Hopkins, attorney general, if a city election could be dispensed with this year if the pres ent officers can be induced to hold over. According to the clerk's letter no candidates have been found who are willing to have their names placed on the ticket at the city election next Monday. The election must be held, the at torncy-general ruled. If no candidate appears, blank ballots will be printed and voters will write in names of persons for whom they desire to vote. IRELAND'S WEEK BAD ONE 26 Attacks on Crown Forces Re ported; 18 Men Killed. DUBLIN, April 1. The week's cas ualties among crown forces again were heavy, says the official weekly review, which places them at 4. Nineteen casualties were sustained by the police, five of them being men killed and 14 wounded. The military had 13 killed and 14 wounded. There were 26 attacks on crown forces, of which 22 were ambushes. Sinn Fein assassinations of civilians, the motive for which, according to the review, was friendly relations of the victims with the police and mili tary, numbered nine. PRIEST SHOT AND KILLED Assailant Escapes in Automobile Without Leaving Clue. DETROIT, Mich., April 1. Rev. Lee Jarecki, pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel church at Wyandotte, a sub urb, was shot and killed when called to the doot-way ct his rectory late tonight. The priest's assailant es caped in an automobile. The sheriff's office, it was said, had uncovered no clue to the Identity of the culprit or to a motive for the act. Father Jarecki had been In charge of the Wyandotte parish less than a year. Reduction by Mid-Summer Held Possible. BLAME PUT ON IMPORTS Coast Production Declared to Be Less Than Demand. SUPPLY STOCKS GAINING Companies Say New Bringing Stores Up Where Prices Can Wells Are to Point Drop. INDEX OF TODAY'S NEWS (Concluded on Fa&e 8, Column 2.J The Weather. YESTERDAY'S Highest temperature, 61 degrees; lowest, 4'2; cloudy. T0DA1"S Fair; westerly windi. Foreign. Rusafa will continue efforta for trade pact with America. Page ft. Lord Talbot named governor-general of Ireland. Page 2. Ex-Emperor Charles reported on way to Switzerland. Page 1. Strike of coal miners In England assumes serious aspect. Page 8. National. No new biff taxes may be neeesttary. Page 1. West to campaign for arid land bill. Page 3. President Harding oon to decide on policy of postmaster appointment. Page 8. Morale of cabinet attunt-s Harding admin istration to erriciency. I'age 7. Peace Is object of Vlvianl's trip. Pag 2. Wallace for price level above prewar basis. Page 6. Revision of taxes puzzles congress. Page 21. Domestic. Temporary alimony of I7.00 month award ed Mrs. .stillinan. rage 3. Foes of nonpartisan league In North Da kota prepare to right. Page fi. Pacific Northwest. Ten persons missing In crasn at sea. Page 1. Fenton law library is given University of Oregon, i'age i. D. A. Grout elected to head inland em pire teachers. Fags 7. $2,000,000 highway construction Imminent Page l. Sport.. Marty Kmg, noldont, back in Beaver line up. Page 14. Alleged fugitives of baseball scandal caught. Page 14. Commercial and Marine. Kerr, Gifford A Co. charter shipping board steamers for wheat. Page 15. Wheat declines to dollar mark at interior points. Page 21. All commodities on Chicago board sell at lowest prices of season. Page 21. More losses than gains in Wall street market. Page 21. Pacific marine engineers reject proposed wage reduction. Page 15. Portland and Vicinity. Joseph Woerndle accused or aiding German spy. Page 6. Portland slowly awakens to duty In chest drive. Page 1. Cut in price of gasoline predicted. Page 1. High meat prices blamed on cooks. Psge0. Senator Stanflrld pledged to work for tariff on lumber. Pags 12. Streetcar smashes fire truck; three firemen injured. Page 13. Girl. 3. Is fatally injured by truck. Paga 1. BY It. W. LYMAN. Hopes for a reduction In the price of gasoline on the Pacific coast are held out by representatives of oil companies in Portland, although they contend that no reductions can be expected In the Immediate future, In spite of the fact that prices of most other staple commodities have been dropping ami that gasoline quotations have fallen in all other sections of ti t country. When production in this district catches up with consumption and the Pacific coast turns from bring an im porter to being an exporter of gaso line, then and that time. It is de clared, lies but a few months away there should be a substantial reduc tion in prices ot' petroleum products. Price Eliaevvhere Cut. Reductions in the price of gaso line since January 1, ranging from I to 6 cents a gallon, In all sections ot the United ikates except the 1'aclflo coast, have focused the attention ot local automobile dealers and motor ists generally upon the price cf gaso line here, and .he belief has been ex pressed that the Pacific coust should also obtain a reduction in gasoline prices. Recent Investigations disclosed the fact that Portland, even without tak ing the 2 cents road tax into con sideration, Is paying as much ror us gasoline today as the eastern sea board cities, located far from any source of gasoline supply, and con siderably more than the cities of the middle west and south. In view of the fact that the Pacific coast, cn- jcylng steamship transportation facu lties for Its oil, has In the past had price as low as or lower than nearly all other sections of tho country, th question has been asked. Why should the Pacific coast now lead the country in gasoline quotations? Shortaae la Blamed. In "endeavoring to explain a situa tion 'wherein gasoline has been re duced in aU cities In the country except those on the Pacific coast, officials of local oil companies yes terday declared that the gasoline shortage of last summer and the ef forts which oil companies have been making durlnis the fall and winter rr.vi.nt another shortage Is the v - key to the problem. If oil wills in California were pro ducing enough crude oil to supply the needs of the entire Pacific coast, there is little doubt but that prices would be reduced, it was declared. But with consumption exceeding sup ply. It has been necessary to Import considerable quantities of gasoline or crude oil from Mexico and tho Rocky mountain field. It Is tlio hl-rher coat of this Imported fuel which has brought up the general average and which made the Increase In gasoline last fall necessary, they contend. The Pacific coast is producing more oil at the present time thap ever be fore, however, as a result of opening of new fields near Bakersflcld, Cal. and elsewhere, and it will be only a few months before production will be equal if not superior to consumption. By the middle of the summer, accord ing to some estimates, this condition will have been reiched. Then Impor- . tatlon of gasoline will be unnecessary and prices should be materially re duced. Fuel Imports Large. Such was virtually the forecast of V. H. Kelly, district sales manager It the Union Oil company. Mr. Kelly pointed out that his company had imported more than a million and a half gallons of gasoline from the Rocky mountain field already this year and had Imported large quanti ties of crude oil from Mexico. This was done, he said, to prevent a short- age and to help tide over the period from now until summer, when new wells will be producing. By summer. Mi. Kelly said, the Union Oil company expects to be ob taining enough crude oil from Cali fornia wells to rare for Us needs throughout the coast, and the same situation is expected to hold true with the other companies. Mr. Kelly pointed out that last summer gasoline Imported from the Texas field could not be retailed here for less than 38 cents a gallon, while freight rates from Mexico bring the price of gas oline secured from there to a figure above that of California gasoline. In the early part of 1920, the Pa cific coast had the lowest-priced gas ollne of any place In the world. Mr , Kelly declared. In view of this fact, which he said was brought about be cause the Paclflo coast, which had. before the war, been an exporter of gasoline, had been unable to export it due to lack of ships, Mr. Kelly as serted that any comparison of present (Concluded on Pags.3. Colo.. I1"