PRICE PAID FOR GAS NOT OUT OF LINE

W Montanans Told Price Paid for Gas. Not Out of Line. But Few If Any. At Public Hearing Are Convinced Despite Statistics Presented By Continental Oil Spokesman An air of disbelief pervaded the House chambers Wednesday evening as a spokesman for the oil industry went to great length to convince Sen Charles Mahoneys Finance Claims Committee that gasoline prices are not out of line in Montana.

The spokesman was J A Lentz marketing specialist for Continental Oil Co. The occasion was a public hearing called by Mahoneys committee in connection with House Bill 418 by Lee Schumacher DPhillips which seeks an appropriation of 20000 for the Montana Trade Commission to use in conducting an investigation of the whys for the high price of gasoline in Montana Rep Schumacher in opening the case for proponents of the bill pointed out that despite the fact Montana exports 30 per cent of the gas refined in the state to neighbor ing states that Montanas gasoline prices are the highest in the na tionranging from one to four cents a gallon higher than in ad joining states where Montana re fined gasoline is marketed. Why does Montana deserve this discrimination Schumacher asked. Why is.