Show Bill for Experiments in Making Oil From Coal Shale Passes House WASHINGTON Feb 16 UP p- p The rhe house howe passed Wednesday by bYa a a standing standing- vote of 1 0 to 13 legislation legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion designed to furnish the United States with wilh synthetic oil and gasoline gasoline gasoline gaso gaso- line made from coal shale and other ather resources which experts have have said Mid are good for a year fuel supply T The bill bUt which had strong bipartisan bi partisan support would authorize establishment of ot experimental plants by the bureau of mines to produce synthetic liquid fuels from various substances such as coal and oil shale which the country has in quantity in order to assure a continuing supply of domestic motor fuel and aviation gasoline With Vilh interior department off off- officials officials dials asserting that known petroleum petroleum petroleum petro petro- leum reserves in the United States are sufficient for not more than 14 years at the current rate of ot usage the hom house e started action to meet the problem before it became acute Representative Randolph D D. Va author of the legislation said the government m must t take the lead in developing inexpensive lve and efficient methods of obtaining mo mo- tor fuels from coal oil all shale and other substances Once developed the system will be turned over to private industry for operation The bill authorizes appropriation tion of to construct and operate demonstration plants Three plants probably would be built All would be operated bythe by the bureau of mines which already h has conducted some experiments in a small laboratory at Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pitts Pitts- burgh Pa The secretary of ot the interior would be authorized to acquire secret processes technical data inventions and other rights under patents granted by this or any other nation Supporters pointed out Germany Great Britain and Russia already are producing large amounts of ot synthetic fuel and that some alien patents seized by the government might night also be valuable in working out a 11 program The bureau of at min mines recently r reported ported to Secretary Ickes that experiments in applying the hydrogenation hy- hy process to coals IndIcated Indicated in indicated In- In this country can develop amounts of ot enormous gasoline and oil from its coal reserves estimated esti U estimated mated at three trillion tons This said the bureau could yield 00 barrels of oil oU and could supply U. U S. S needs for tor years at the April 1941 1911 rate of at con Dr R R. R R. R Sayers director of ot the bureau told Ickes oil produced from coal is similar to crude petroleum petroleum petroleum petro petro- leum and yields a relatively higher percentage of gasoline and various oils There is little doubt he added that at some future date the hydrogenation hydro hydro- of coal will be essential to our our progress Bureau of ot mines officials estimate estimate estimate esti esti- mate Randolph said that if congress congress con con- gress provides for the demonstration tion plants a synthetic oil oU program program program pro pro- I gram ram can be well under underway way wi within thIn i three or four years Representative Jenkins R. R Ohio speaking in behalf behal of the legislation s said ld gasoline is being produced from petroleum at a cost of 5 cents a gallon while the thc present pres ent cost of producing it from coal is from 13 to 18 cents a gallon This means private privat firms cannot develop the manufacturing process he said but that the tl government must perfect t it for private busi busi- ness |