The Washington herald., 1918-07-27
OILAND
4RMY And NAVY
BLAND Tells Of Bedford S
Revelation Of Vital
4 Values in War.

m the address which was made.
few days ago by A C. Bedford 20 the
leaders in the oil industry at Tulsa,
Okla, no mention was made Of the
remarkable speeding up of the ship
building operations OF the Standard
Oil Company Of New Jersey. Mr.. Bed
ford Is chairman Of the board Of that
company and he is also chairman OF
the National Petroleum War Service
Committee. To this government serv-
Ice he devotes substantially all Of
his time.
He Is IN agreement with those who
believe that the conservation of Pc
troleum and the increase in its pro-
duction are among the most impor-
tant factors in providing commodities
needed by the government to carry
on the war.
When the European war began, the
company OF which Mr.. Bedford Is
chairman, although 1t had a large
neet Of tank steamers, nevertheless
secured a number OF ships which were
2 foreign register and began a ship
Hiding program as efficient, as
al shipbuiiding program Of the
ntted States.
Nine Steamers sunk.
Had not nfne Of these oil-carrying
ships owned by the company been
sunk or lost since the war began, then
this company would today have fifty
i've steamers flying the American
haS and carrying needed supplies Of
oil across the sea-
Within a few months eight steamers
which the company is now causing
, TO be constructed will be added to
those already in operation, so that,
unless other steamers are sunk by
submarines, there will be in the serv-
ice Of this company within a few
months fffty-four oil-carrying steam
ships. The largest OF these steamers
has a barrel capacity OF 10S,00o.
One OF the latest to be Constructed.
named in honor OF President W. C.
Teagle OF the Standard Oil Co. Of New
Jersey. has a barrel capacity OF "a, 900
and dead weight tons of L, 200. There
are several other tank steamers now
owned and operated by this company
which have a barrel capacity OF $1,000.
The so-called new standard will
carry a 10000 barrels and has a dead
weight tonnage of 1900
The entire fleet has a barrel capac-
ity OF 2.342, 900, each barrel averaging
fifty gallons, and when the new
steamers which are now in con-
struction are completed and put in
operation. there will be added a bar
rel capacity Of 52s,7OO.
OIL In War.
In April Mr.. Bedford addressed the
fifth National Foreign Trade Conven-
ton and the words which he at that
time spoke are reflected in the ad-
dress which he delivered to the oil
men a few days ago at Tulsa. There
was this difference however; in the
latest Of these addresses Mr.. Bedford
called special attention to the govern
mental necessity for speeding up
crude oil production and for stabiliz-
ing prices.
In April Mr. Bedford was able TO
call attention to the part played by
oil in preventing the German army
from gaining triumph at Verdun. In
his Tulsa address he was able to
supplement- what he said in April by
referring to the recent important and
successful military operations near
Chateau Thierry. France.
In April Mr. Bedford said that all
the factories that turn out munitions
of war must have fuel and lubricat-
ing oil in unusual quantities. The
steamers that are carrying our SOL
diers and supplies to France are re-
lying more and more on fuel oil The
motor trucks which transported men
and supplies to the Verdun front
blocked the way to Paris.
Saved ships.
Furthermore, Mr.. Bedford said,
Had it not been for gasoline that
supplied the submarine chasers, the
submarine war would have taken an
unestImably greater number OF our
merchant ships. Had it not been for
gasoline 1t would not be possible to-
day to operate the new boats that
are being used to detect the presence
fCs U-boats beneath the waves, and.
finally, gasoline is vital to the great
airplane fleet which the United States
will ship to France"
Only a few hours before Mr.. Bed
ford spoke to the oil men at Tulsa,
the allies effected the complete sur
price at Chateau Thierry, and this
has been followed by the general
advance Of the allies and the with
drawal Of the Germans from the pO-
sitiOn they held a few days earlier.
Mr.. Bedford said at Tulsa that this
surprise was made possible by bring
ing up to the front cannon and
horses which were loaded upon motor
trucks. Some Of these trucks were
a bIp 10 carry eight horses and fbny