The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-10-09

that Germany would not sign these
treaties because the greatest asset or
Germany in war was her readiness Tor
a sudden assault. that they had no OBJ
lection to signing a treaty with America
but that they feared they would then
be Immediately asked to sign similar
treaties with England, France and Rus
sia. II they refused to sign with these
countries the refusal would almost be
equivalent to a declaration Of war. and
If they did sign. intending In good faith
to stand by the treaty. Germany would
be deprived Of her greatest asset IN war
namely, her readiness for sudden ana
overpowering attack.
I also during this winter studied ana
made reports on the commercial slIua-
ton in Germany. and especially the
German Determinations against Amerl-
can goods. To these matters 1 shall
refer In moro detail in another chap
ter.
OPPOSITION to the oil monopoly pro-
iect, which I followed closely. also &C.
cupied a great part Of my working
hours.
! Petroleum Is used very extensively In
Germany for illuminating purposes by
the poorer part Of the population and
especially in the farming villages and
industrial towns. This oil Hseo IN
Germany comes from two sources OF
supply. from America and from the OIL
wells of Galicia and Runania. The Ger
man-American Oh Company there.
through which the American oil was
distributed, although a German COM
many. was controlled by American CAPT
tai, and German capital was largely In
terested in the Galtcian and Runanian
oil fields The oil from Cahcla anu
Runania Is not as good in quality as
that imported from America
BEFORE my arrival in Germany the
Government had proposed law crea-
ting the oil monopoly: that IS TO say,
company was to be created. controlleo
by the Government for the purpose OF
carving on the entire oil business OF
Germany and no other person or COM
many. by its provisions. was TO be al
lowed to sell any illuminating oil or
similar products in the empire.
The bill provided that the business
OF those engaged in the wholesale SELL
ing Of oil. and their plants. "tc.' should
be taken over by this Government COM
pary. condemned and paid for
, The Gernan-American company, how>
ever, has also a retail business and
plant throughout Germany. for which
II was proposed that no compensation
rhould IL. given The Government bill
al.o contained certain curious lockers"
For instance it provided for tho TAX
ing over of all plants within the GUS
| toms limit OF the German empire. thus
leaving out Of the compensation a reiin-
cry which was situated in the free part
OF Hamburg: although. Of course. by
d; operation Of the monopoly bill this re-
| fnsry was rendered useless to tho Amer
ican-coutrolled company which owned
It. j..
! In the course Of this investigation II
came to light that the Prussian State
railways were used as means OF dis
! eliminating against the American oil.
American oil came to Germany through
me frontier town Of OderberE. Taking
; a delivery point equally distant between
Oderberg and Hamburg. the rate charg-
! cd on oil from Hamburg to this point
| was twice as great as that charged for
Il similar quantity Of oil from Oder
: berg.
Fighting tho German OIL Monopoly
took up this. fight on the line that
! the company must be compensated Tor
all Of its property. that used In retail