The Washington herald., 1918-02-18
OIL SHORTAGE
DELAYS PLANS
Uncle Sam Must Find Lubri-
can't for Liberty Motors,
Says Holland.

swing valuable services 10 the gov
eminent at this time upon one Of the
commissions, chatted informally a few
days ago with representatives OF the
American oil industry, who met in
New York. He spoke encoura gingly
OF. the Increase in the production Of
crude oil In the last six months Of
lyu as compared with the production
" the FIRST six months. He said
that notwithstanding the magnitude
Of this production there remained a
surplus of only about 1000. coo barrels.
The inference was that production
must be greatly speeded up in 1918.
Among other things mentioned by Mr..
Bedford was a reference to the dis
position of some of those who are now
manufacturing lubricating oils to take
advantage of the scarcity Of this COM
modify, being disposed to raise the
price 100 per cent above a reasonable
charge for this commodity. There was
a monition In Mr.. Bedford's words,
for he said II this is not stopped II
would surely lead to price fixing and
that would inevitably be followed by
decreased production.
In a conversation with President
Ieagle shortly after he became presi-
dent OF the Standard Oil Company of
New Jersey, a few weeks ago, he re-
Nealed among other evidences OF his
wonderfully detailed and complete
knowledge Of all phases OF the oil
business from production through
manufacture to marketing information
OF which the public has had DIP to
this time no knowledge. He said the
amount of crude oil which is now
through manufacture being converted
into lubricating oil is far in excess of
the amount which in a general way
the public has been accustomed to
regard as the aggregate lubricating
production. Fully 10 per cent of the
crude oil. Mr.. Teagle said. is now
converted into lubricating oil. Accord
ing to that estimate, there must have
been manufactured last year consid-
erably over 100, 200 900 gallons Of lu-
bricating oil. and yet Mr.. Bedford
felt justified IN saying that there is
now scarcity Of this commodity.
Importance of LubrIcation.
Without fabrication industry in the
United States would stop and the rail-
rays would be compelled to send their
engines to the round houses and their
ears to the sheds. As industries in
Crease and as the demand for rail-
road transportation expands, there
must necessarily be a greater demand
for lubricants.
But in one particular-and that is
a vital one-lubricants at this time
are not available. The government
called to its aid. some months ago
= number OF highly competent engi-
Heers-among them Col. z. A. Deeds,
now the right hand of Gen. Squier OF
the Signal Corps-and these engineers
perfected with a celebrity that was real
" marvellous the so-called new Liber-
" Motor. 1t was admirably conceived
and Is wonderfully perfected for use
in the twenty odd thousand airplanes
which the United States is now caus-
ing to be made. But 1t lacks one vital
factor, and that is the right kind of
lubricant. For the delicate machinery
OF this motor must be skiIlfulIy and
carefully fed with the parsistency and
yet the deIicacy OF water permeating
almost insidiously over and through
the various parts and so adjusting
these parts to the work they are to
perform that they will do It with the
ease with which the great engine
upon a steamship performs its func-
tion.
Apparently the government at Wash
ington having listened to reports of
experts is persuaded that caster oil
is an admirable lubricant for the Lib
erty Motor. But where Is the castor
oil to come from? Many thousand
gallons Of it would be required every
day for the Liberty Motors of twenty
odd thousand airplanes.
To secure it the government Is now
asking farmers in the South and in
our tropical possessions to plant many
thousand acres to castor oil beans. in
the hope that between 10000 and 3OO,-
90 acres will be set apart for this
cultivation during the spring and the
summer.
But it will take a long time to grow
beans and much tine vii also be re-
Quired to convert them into castor oil
The government proposes subsidizing
the Southern planters or at least quar-
anteeing a reasonable price for every
busheI Of castor beans that are raised.
There is to be planting in Florida,
some in other States of the South, and
a great deal OF planting in Texas. per-
haps 10000 acres. But at least a year
will be required to secure all the cas-
tor oil that is needed for the Liberty
Motors.
What The Germans Do.
Recently a German airplane was
)captured and brought to the surface
somewhere near London or at least
somewhere on the coast OF England.
The English experts have observed
that the engines Of the German air
ships work in a most satisfactory man
ner. but they were not certain what
lubricant was employed by Germany
for these motors. They found some
of this lubricating material in the
airplane and sent it to the most high
ly competent expert in London for an
alysis. The experts reported that in
addition to certain refined oil and a
small percentage Of vegetable oil, prob
ably castor oil, the German manufac-
turers of the lubricant had infused
into the preparation one fifth of one
per cent OF graphite.
Then there came recollection Of the
fact that only a few weeks after war
began a representative Of the German
government found hfs way mysterious
Iy into London and brought with him
an ofdcial proposition that DR.. E. G.
Acheson, who was at that time in
London, should go to Germany and es-
tablish there plants for the fhanufac-
ture OF lubricants according to the
formula discovered by Acheson.
The German government made a