Thumbs Down

Ever since war's end, a vocal group of U.S. oilmen has urged that the war-built Big Inch and Little Big Inch pipelines should either be shut down or converted to carry natural gas. Reason: the oilmen have heavy investments in tankers, which might find it hard to compete with the pipelines in carrying oil from Texas.

Last week Surplus Property Administrator W. Stuart Symington turned thumbs down on the oilmen's proposition. In a report to Congress, he stated that the $145,800,000 worth of pipelines would be converted to gas only as a last resort. (Coal producers and the railroads have strenuously opposed such a move.) First the lines would be offered for sale or lease to private companies. If there were no takers--the Government would try to operate them.

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