The Washington times., 1915-04-27
Uncle Sam May Enter
Oil Producing Field
Government Ownership of Gigantic Pipe Line to In
sure Permanent Supply of Naval Fuel, With Fed
eral Refneries Possibility of the Future. ,
By JUDSON c. WELLIVER.

Uncle Sam Is looking seriously into
/ the advisability of going into the oil
| business on his own account and on q
gigantic scale.
Already, under instructions from Con-
gress. representatives.. Jointly, of the
Navy and Interior Department have In
| vestigated the whole question of Gov
ernment construction, ownership and
operation Of a pipe line from the mid
continent oil field to the Gulf Of Mexi-
CO, Of Government purchase Of Indian
oil lands sufficient to provide a sure
and perpetual supply of oil for naval
use, and Of establishing Government re-
fineries.
pared, 1t has never been given publicity
but 1t is understood that as a whole
1t Is favorable to the project.
Experts in pipe line construction and
management were brought into confer
ence. and from them detailed data were
secured concerning the cost of building
pipe lines. routes. etc. This informa-
tlon was the more readily to be had be-
| cause men who have constructed some
Of the important. pipe lines in the coun-
the present owners and operators OF
| these systems, and have been ready and
anxious to help the Government gather
the information 1t needs.
Usage Oil Lands.
Quite recently the Secretary Of the
Interior and the Commissioner Of In
dian Affairs held a great hearing re-
garding the Governments policy in
dealing with the immensely rich oil
| lands of the Usage Indian nation. The
Foster lease. so-called. Of these lands
Is about to expire. and the question is
| hal - sx>~ q -. -
| renewed; II 1t is not renewed, how shall
the oil resources Of this field be de-
veloped?
Secretary Lane and Indian Commits.
sioner Sells have given no indication OF
| their attitude toward the big set OF
questions, in which oil men say billions
| OF dollars In property values are in
volved. But there is a growing impress
sion that they are disposed not tc
take these oil properties out OF the
Governments complete control. The
| Government will not serve as admins
traitor for the Osages' lands until 1881
when the lands are to revert to the con.
troll of the Indians. Meanwhile. the
policy to be adopted now may determine
whether the oils shall be taken out ant
used before that time, or whether some
method Of saving them for the future
| shall be enforced.
Fuel of the Future.
Naval authorities have been mucl
concerned about insurtng an independ
ent and adequate supply OF oil. Tit
character of the report on behalf o
the naval agent, Admiral Fletcher II
guessed by people who noted the rec
concentrations Of Secretary OF the Nav!
Daniels in his annual report. Mr.. Dan
iels not only demanded that Congress
make provision for the Government get
ting It's own oil wells, building II
pipe lines. and reinertes. but he use'
the experience of the British govern
ment as the justification for this policy
He pointed out that
The British government. like tn
American. has recognized that oil i
the certain naval fuel Of the future.
The scantily producing oil shales o
Scotland have been set aside and ar
to be preserved for the exclusive Us
of the British navy.
In Mexico and elsewhers Britis
firms and interests closely allied witt
the navy are reaching out to contro
oil fields.
While the United States produces tn
greater part Of the worlds oil. tn
price Of oil has been advancing so fas