The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-06-08
SOME FIXED POLICY AS
TO PETROLEUM URGENT
PROBLEM OF SUPPLY DEMANDS
MORE ATTENTION.
BY J. 6. culIInan.

. seIles OF articles by J S. Cullinan Chairman Of
| VIC ieAas Economic League. on the Conservation
/ =. ous Natural Resources. TO which subject the
league Is now addressing itselil
All nations depend largely upon the
United States for petroleum supplies
IN the form of fuel oil. lubricants or
gasohne. Petroleum is going to be
as much factor in determining naval
oatties as vessels and armament, and
TINS point should not be overlooked
oy the opponents of preparedness in
giving off-hand opinions about this
Nation enforcing the Monroe Doctrine,
or maintaining other relations with
the Central and South American Re-
puDiics, which are now recognized as
the source of future petroleum sup
plies after the oil pools OF the United
states have been exhausted. The Ma
ton that controls the oil fields will
have a superior navy, if indeed it
| does not render obsolete the battle.
ships of other nations, for fuels is as
necessary as steel in fighting battles
at sea.
Nature Will Not RepIenish Fields.
We had as we'll dismiss from dis
cussion any hope that nature will
repienish the supply of petroleum
during the life of the present oil
fields. Scientists tell US that it is
probable that the hydrocarbons, OF
which fuel Is composed, may be re.
stored by the processes of nature
every 26,000 years, during which
period we are told the position of
| the earth in relation to the North
| and South poles may be completely
reversed, and fuel will be again ere
ated in the land portion of the earth's
surface, but there is no Spectator III
| Oil sufficiently bold to deal in futures
| quite that far away, and certainly
the present generation need not coli
slider 1t.
It is known that many OF the for
eign naval liquid fuel contracts made
in the United States up to the last
few months were made on basis OF
less than 81 per barrel. This product
is manufactured under rigid speci-
| fications, and is of very high grade.
In talking with DIR. Rittman few
months ago, he stat.d that under his
process it is possible to obtain from
40 to so per cent motor spirits, or
gasoline, from this grade Of fuel oil,
representing from fifteen to twenty
| gallons of a product now selling at
from zoe to 25c per gallon, thus indi-
eating that as a Nation We are now
receiving from % to S3 per cent OF
the value that would be obtained after
converting under the Burton or Ritz
man processes. What applies to naval
supplies is also applicable to con
siderable portion of the railroad and
Industrial consumption.
Consideration by Congress Necessary.
There would seem to be no possible
solution except by Federal control.
Congress has the power, but there
may be some hesitancy in exercising
| il in the face OF legal, business, po-
itieal and other obstacles. The OBJ
eets sought to be accomplished by
such legislation should be: Consery-
Ing supplies of petroleum for future
Use of the army and navy. minimia-
ing waste, insuring fair value for
petroleum and its products exported
IN exchange for products imported,
ana establishing reasonable price
between consumers. royalty owners,
PRODUCERS, transporteIs, manufactur-
srs and distributors for domestic con-
sumption.
TO my mind, there are only two
clans by which these results can best
Dc accomplished:
First. the Nationel Government Sc
curing congressional approval to ex-
srcise the right OF eminent domain
covering all petroleum deposits with
n the United States. to be leased in
whole or in part to present owners,
,r others, under uniform regulations
covering development, production.
transportation and sale. or, second.
the National Government TO con
denim ana acquire ali pipe lines doing
~ Interstate business. obtaining au-
ihority 10 FIX and regulate pipe line.
all and water rates on all petroleum
Dr. petroleum products intended for
IA between the States and foreign
countries
In masing These suggestions "a
seems ceuain that witain tae neaE
fr,urs. certainly within tie next Csc