The Washington times., 1916-01-07

1T is a plain question OF supply and
demand nothing more" he said. Tho
United States produces about So per
cent of the worlds petroleum. or 300 =
900 900 barrels a year of forty-two gal
Ions to the barrel. The average gaso-
line content is about 10 per cent, as ex-
tracted by old processes.
THE gasolene content varies greatly.
California produces about 100 100000 bar
rels of petroleum a year; onc-half Of 1t
has no Gasolene at all; the other half,
about per cent.
"On the other hand the famous 'Cush-
ing pool produced at the climax of its
history about 10000 barrels a day, or
over 100 600 900 year. with content. OF
30 per cent Easolen". This was the great
est field ever developed. and the richest
In gasolcne.
There are three chief factors respon-
sible for the sudden increase in the
price of gasolene; all obvious and capa-
BILE OF approximate measurement.
First. the Gushing pools production
has in very brief time fallen from
a bout 800, ,OO0 to 100000 barrels a day.
That lops off about 70,00O,0OO barrels OF
the best GasolenCl producing oil.
Second. the exports of gasoienc have
inCrca srd from about l0O,O00.000 gallons
TO about GOU.OG0.O0o gallons year. Our
annual exports are now actually great
CT than tho domestic consumption was
only few years ago.
Third. the immensely increased con-
sumption Let me illustrate this.
so recently as 1910 there were 3oo,'
! 600 automobiles In the country. No"
| there are 2.25000c.
automobiles are being added at tho
rate of 1000 a day. II their average lii,
| Is four years, 1t means that there Is
cumulative increase in the demand fol
| easolene to keep them running. equa
| to the addition OF 5000 new ones daily
Every now automobile gets its TAM
filled when it begins its career: at ar
| average of only ten gallons to the car
| the new ones alone require 10000 gal
| Ions OF new consumption every day, anc
| Il never stops.
| Here Is a still moro striking illus
tration of the immenTty of the power
represented BY thS6N gasolene con
sumers On horsepower basis. thu
gasolenc of tho country represents al
! aggregate of 81, O00, 600 horsepower. ina
is two and one-half times the entire
steam power OF the country-locomo
| tivcs. stationary engines and all
| "In addition to the automobiles. thef'
| are 100000 internal combustion engines
| in use on the farms OF the country
| There are also 100000 motor boats.
"Flnally. there are 100000 NOR
farms waiting to become users ossi %
| bilities of the automobile market mus
| no Judged by the fact that it IS now
| absorbing million new cars yea
and shows no disposition to Stacker
| the demand
| Just one more feature in this con
ucction. The price of gasolene ha
about doubled in a few months. !
doesn't check consumption. The people
buy il as readily as before. Personal
Iy. considering the immense ecOnomi
| Importance OF this power, look upol
the great consumption in pleasure We
hiclcs as waste. But no matter: tn
people will not be denied their Injuries
| they buy and use just as freely at
as they did at IL cents.
| TT isn't necessary to suggest Wha
must happen in such conditions a
| those. The price goes up simply hc
cause there il demand that will tax
the whole output at the price fixed"
DR.. Rittman was asked what he con