New-York tribune., 1917-07-23
Defence Council Commit
tee Asks Auto Owners to
Aid in Conserving Oil
Shortage Is Menace
Producers Throughout Coun.
try Are Urged to Increase
Their Output

Pointing out that the country is now
using more petroleum than II pro-
duces. the committee on petroleum OF
the Advisory Commission of the Coun-
ell of National Defence yesterday is
sued a warning that pleasure riding
must be curtailed" and that oil pro-
ducers should secure the greatest
output possible.
Two requests contained in the warn
ing are:
"The public will have to eeonomize
in the use Of gasolene. Sufficient gas
olene should be available to provide
for all the normal uses Of autono-
biles. But pleasure riding should be
curtailed. People should look upon
their automobiles as necessities to be
used only when needed. Not gallon
Of gasolene should be used in the pres
ent emergency except for some useful
end.
Greatest Output Is Needed
Every oil producer in the country
should be encouraged as patriotic
effort to secure the utmost possinle
OUTPUT of crude oil. The present eX-
pense of drilling new wells is very
great and increasing, and the results
are often discouraging. But there is
oil TO be had if producers in the Oil
business will redouble their efforts to
get it out Of the ground"
ain view Of the abnormal conditions
confronting the country by reason OF
the war il is particularly important
that the country should understand the
serious situation now prevailing IN the
petroleum industry" said A. Z. BED,
lord, president Of the Standard Oh
Company of New Jersey, who is chair
man of the committee. This country
is producing crude oil at the rate OF
about 300,000,00O barrels year, but IT
is using il at the rate of 335,000,000
barrels a year. The amount Of crude
Gil in storage, all grades, May l, 1911,
was 165,68S,797 barrels. The country
is absorbing the entire current pro-
duction and drawing very rapidly upon
its reserve supplies.
"The rapid development Of the auto
robile is largely responsible for pres
ent conditions. In 1910 there were
100000 automobiles in use in the
United States; in 1916 the number was
1880. 900. To-day here are more than
100000 cars, demanding over 10000
600 barrels of gasolene year. Other
uses of gasolene and oil are expanding
upon an enormous scale.
Demand Exceeds Supply
"The demand for oil products IS
greater than the supply of crude oil.
Because Of the demand, the price of
crude has risen, this stimulating more
and more producers 70 drill new wells.
Though this drilling has been going on
with great OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
cost of drilling is much greater than
in the past and the total successes
fewer than ever-the returns from such
efforts are not as satisfactory as they
were q year ago.
"Though there have been almost
three times as many new wells drilled
in 1917 as in 1915. the initial produc-
tion is considerably less than in 1918.
The drilling Of wells is still going on,
but thus far there has been no increase
in production over last year or the year
before
"The petroleum industry has gone
into this situation whole-heartedly and
with an eye single TO assisting the gov
ernment in its stupendous problem
and | am convinced that the govern
ment on its part will meet the sltua
tion in a liberal and broad-mindet
spirit, and that a just price Will b'
paid. sufficient for the maintenance ant
development of industry"