The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-07
AN OIL FAMINE.
What WIN Happen when the Busi-
ness Of Prospecting Is Tax Killed.

ness Of Prospecting Is Tax Killed.
To THE EprroR OF THE suN-sh: You
have printed several striking editorial
articles on tho petroleum situation In
America. The situation IL 30 serious
that do not believe that the nation
will ever awaken TO II until too late
after the harm has been dono. Oil pro-
ductlon depends upon prospcctors. On
account Of the war revenue bill tax
provisions the business Of prospecting
liz becoming defunct Thousands OF
prospectors are deserving. Consequently
a famine Is a possibility.
Did you ever stop TO consider what
would happen IL you Weakened UP some
morning and found the world had no
more oil, gas. gasolene?
That Is what an oil famine would
mean. for the development of gasolene
depends on the development OF oil nat
ural gas is usually found associated
with oil pools and petroleum Is the es-
| sential ingredient Of the artificial gas
Of most cities.
Every navy In the world would be
crippled, for though many Of the big
ships are equipped with furnaces which
burn both oil and coal, the most mod
ern war vessels depend on oil for fuel.
and IL they had not to change their
engines they would at least have TO
asten away TO some coal base to stoke
up. Every aeroplane would come down
and stay down, and aeroplanes are both
nj go 10 ha
The flying boats, which have accounted
for so many submarines and Zeppelins-
one recently destroyed two OF each in
one fiisht--would fold their wings and
ny no more. The 1000 900 TO 100000
motor cars that course the highways
OF America. saving horse cost and horse
feed and man power. would come TO
stop. The 100000 to 100000 big motor
trucks engaged in war transportation
here and abroad would stall in midroad.
The big guns at the front could no
longer be moved. The tanks, which
have terrified tho enemy. could not lum-
Der along another foot.
Three-quarters OF the homes OF the
city would be without fuel for their
kitchen stoves. The tractors that
plough forty acres a day OF the great
Western grain fields would easily have
to be replaced by forty horses and
twenty men. at a cost per tractor easily
OF $3.50 per team and $50 a month for
each man. Threshing gangs in the
West would 20. out of commission, and
the old horsepower threshers could
no more thresh modern monster grain
crops than a team could plough forty
acres In q day. Production of food
would be cut In half by one fell swath
and as to prices--if the prices have kited
work, you can guess what would happen
TO prices II all the big machines sud
denly went on strike; and II Is on strike
all the big machines OF war and food
will have 10 20 IL the world wakens some
morning without supplies OF oil, gaso-
lene, gas.
II sounds grotesque and fanciful
well. so did 1t sound grotesque and fan
ciful more than year ago when GER
tain coal MEN predicted that we should
run into coal famine last winter and
the coal famine came all too true. We
did not grunt and We did not grumble.
II was war, and we took our medicine
stoically and grinned: but II we had to
take the same medicine as TO petroleum.
gaso!cne. gas. we should-let us put
ir plainly--lose the war. Troops could
not be transported In time. guns could
not be handled in time aeroplanes
could not be lifted from the ground,
motor trucks could not run II we had
an oil famine.