The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

"GET RID OF THE COMPETITION!"

THE STORY USUALLY COMES TO THE FORE AS A RESULT OF A DISCUSSION OF
MONOPOLIES, GAS PLRICE WARS, BIG BUSINESS, AND BEGINS WITH "DID
YOU HEAR THAT . . ." OR "WELL, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT . . ." AND
FOLLOW IT WITH:
"STANDARD OIL OF NEW JERSEY (OR SOME OTHER BIG OIL COMPANY) IS
BUYING UP THOSE CARBURETORS THAT USE LITTLE OR NO GAS." THE
INFORMANT (STORY RELATER) THEN PROCEEDS TO STATE "FACTS" ABOUT
THE INVENTION OF A CARBURETOR, AND HOW THE OIL COMPANIES ARE AFRAID
OF LOSING BUSINESS. THEY THEN TELL, VERY MATTER-OF-FACTEDLY, HOW
THE OIL COMPANIES ARE INDUCING THE INVENTOR TO SELL THEM THE
INVENTION FOR X NUMBER OF DOLLARS.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT TELLS OF HEARING THE FOLLOWING STORY A NUMBER OF
TIMES DURING HIS LIFE. HE HAS HEARD IT, EACH TIME VERY SERIOUSLY
RELATED, AS A TEEN (ABOUT 1943-46) AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD GAS
STATION, FROM FELOW STUDENTS (IN COLLEGE), AND ON MORE THAN ONE
OCCASION FROM STUDENTS IN HIS CAPACITY AS INSTRUCTOR AND
PROFESSOR (SINCE 1959).

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT