The Washington herald., 1918-09-03
OIL SITUATION
MORECRITICAL.
Need for Conservation
Shown by Two Recent Or
ders, Says Holland.

Upon the same day in the latter
part OF last week there appeared TWO
statements, apparently independent
each of the other, which nevertheless
reflect the vital importance OF the
mineral oil or petroleum situation IN
the United States as that is associated
with our war needs. President Sim
clair, whose corporation has recently
completed in record time an oil pipe
line from the Oklahoma and Kansas
oil fields to East Chicago, mas prom
ised the United States Fuel Admints-
tration to build within three months
a new pipe line which will parallel for
a distance OF 800 miles the pipe line re-
Gently completed from Oklahoma to
East Chicago.
This action demonstrates clearly the
view which the United States Fuel
Administration takes respecting the
oil situation. BY the construction of
this new pipe line much larger guam
titles OF petroleum can be sent to the
Atlantic seaboard than Is now pcssi-
BILE because the railroad transrOtta-
ton will be relieved of transportation
demands for hauling this oil from the
rich fields of Kansas and Ok;ahcma
to the East. In fact, the government
apparently placed such stress Ipon
the negotiation that it is the under
standing that the large amount OF
money which will be required for the
construction Of this line will be ad-
vanced by the government
Might Become Command.
On the day this announcement was
made there came from Washington a
request with an intimation that if it
were not needed it would be changed
into a command. that the use Of
motor cars everywhere east of the
Mississippi River % Sundays be dis
continued. Exceptions were made
for certain motor transportation which
Is of Importance, such as motor trucks
or physicians cars. The reason given
for this request Is that there is al
ready a shortage of gasoline for war
purposes and there Is likely to be a
much greater shortage.
1t has been observed by Engli ishmen
who have recently been in the United
states that the use of the automobile
for pleasure travel on Sunday Is enor-
nous. One of the representatives of
a foreign nation now in the United
states who is a British subject was
invited to take weekend motor trip
up through New England. He ac-
cepted the invitation, although speak
ing with some astonishment that ex-
cursions OF this kind were so COM
mon in the United States, whereas in
Great Britain the use Of the auto
mobile for pleasure purposes was long
ago ended. When he returned to New
York he spoke with amazement of
the number of pleasure cars which
were seen upon the excellent high
ways of New England, and especially
the vast number of them which were
upon the road within a hundred miles
OF New York City. Nothing of that
kind is known in Great Britain or in
Europe. And It occurred to this man
that there must be an enormous use
Of gasoline for pleasure purposes on
Sunday. -
1t Is an impressive coincidence that
the Fuel Administra ton should upon
the same day cause public announce
ment to be made that arrangements
had been perfected with President
Sinclair for the construction of a
new pipe line whereby the rich oil
fields of Oklahoma and Kansas can
be made the more readily to yield
their product at the Atlantic sea-
ports and also that the public Is
requested. and II the request be not
needed will be commanded, not to
use automobiles for pleasure pur-
posses on Sunday.
Part OF the difficulty occasioned
by the lack Of an adequate amount
OF oil Is due to the fact that we lack
shipping facilities. For IL we had
an elaborate supply OF ships we could
get sugar from Java and thus re-
lieve the partial sugar famine. we.
could increase our trade with Bra
zil, for that has fallen off because
Of the lack of ships, and there could
be abundant supplies of wheat for
our allies obtained from the Aus
tralian surplus
American Supply Inadequate.
So also IL we had adequate shin
ping facilities there could be an album
tant supply of mineral oil obtained
from Mexico. The American pro-
tuction Of petroleum. great as 1t is,
for the past two years
has not been equal to the consump-
ion by 4o00o, 10000 barrels or ao,0oo,-
90 each year. We are gradually de-
oleting our surplus Of oil. II Great
Britain could secure from the oil
1elds in Mexico much the greater
oart of the oil that she needs, and
ne could SECURE 1t il there were album