374.115 Standard Oil Company/5: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Bulgaria (Shoemaker)
10. Reference Legation’s despatch No. 310 of October 30, 1931.2 The fact that kerosene is being sold in some places by the Standard Oil Company at a price lower than the one fixed by the Commission has caused the Department some surprise. This is not in accord with previous statements made by Owen to the effect that his only course was to close up, since the Standard Oil Company refused to sell its products at Government-fixed prices. The Department refers to its telegram No. 8, October 24, 1931, 1 p.m., and again reminds the Legation that only if satisfied as to the accuracy of the Standard Oil Company’s contentions was the Legation to make the representations authorized therein.
In view of the company’s original allegation that the price as fixed by the Commission was confiscatory, the Legation is requested not to make any further representations and to submit to the Department a full account of the principal facts which form the basis of Owen’s allegation of damage, particularly a detailed explanation of the company’s ability to sell kerosene at a price below that fixed by the Commission while yet complaining that the price fixed by the Commission is confiscatory.
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