The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-03
ZEN, WOMEN
AND THINGS

some of my friends to twit me for be-
ing bit naive.
1t is easy to array against class and
throw stones at those VINO have become |
millionaires, but we must remember
that in America our plutocrats in most
instances were once poor boys and
fought their way up from adversely and
obscurity.
hold no brief for capital any more
than 1 do for labor, for 1 am glad to
call some rich men friend and to be
welcome in many humble homes, for
my life touches many people of many
kinds, and value men not on account
of their riches or because of their pow
erty. All I ask is that they be true
men and am willing to call them
brothers of mine.
The mere mention of the word, oil is
Suggestive of struggle and romance. 1t is
truly word to conjure with and for
years has afforded the adventurous
opportunity to part with good ready
money. I am not here interested in
the sale Of oil stocks or any promotion
schemes although just as present both
are much in the public eye on account
Of discoveries in the oil fields of Texas
where millions are being made or lost.
TT is with the aid of petroleum that
the race found it's destiny" is the
proud claim of the big producers in the
industry. 1t is certain that oil played
a big part in the late war Urgent
dispatches from Great Britain warned
the United States, shortly after its
entry into the war, that reserve sup
plies in Great Britain and Europe were
SO low that unless immediate assis-
lance were rendered partial demobili-
zation of the British fleet would be un-
avoidable.
1--WE must have OIL" said Marshal
Foch, at the same time, 'or we will
lose the war" And In italy, it was
discovered they were in no better posi-
I! ton. Fuel oil, aviation naptha, gaso-
line and lubricants had been so seri-
ously depleted as to threaten the whole
| war operation with serious curtail-
, ment. 1t will be recalled how fierce
was the fighting to control the oil
fields in Russia, just as Is today the
Mexican situation troubled on account
of Englands desire to have the whip
hand in the development and owner
ship Of the petroleum industry.
|
! I have been a student of political
economy for years ana have been deep
ly interested in the growth Of the great
Industrial corporations and the efforts
! of the government to curb control, re-
ing question and the man who can lead
US into light will be hailed as the
| savior of the bushes world. / can't
go into the menace of the big corpora
tions here any more than l can justly
state their value to America in helping
to win the war, but there are some facts
about the part which oil played that
those who have not taken the trouble
to post themselves
|
have made money out of the war. but
on the other hand the oil companies did
much to win the fight for democracy. If
it had not been for our and other pow
erful organizations the allies could not
have met the great subsidized monopo-
lies of the Central powers. Germany
based her hope on winning to her great
state controlled manufacturing, ship
ping. and mining enterprises. Massed
| under the protection of the govern
ment and directed as a unit they would
have been victorious had not this count
ry been able to match them with the
great privately owned institutions.
We had boosted of our splendid isola-
ton, but when the European war broks
some OF our far seeing men knew that
it was OILY matter of time when we
would be drawn into it, and l think
am safe in saying that the captains
of industry saw it quicker than the
statesmen at Washington, and some of
lem began to put their house in readi-
ness for the call which they felt would
be made on them. AS I am talking of
petroleum it is proper to state that the
Standard Oil company on account of
it's world wide remifications was
among the first to sense the danger
and the need.
How did the Standard Oil company
answer the cry of Foch for oil? Long
before the President had pledged the
wealth and man-power of the republic
to the cause of democracy, the oil men
of the United States, afloat and ashore,
were solidly ranged, in sentiment at
least, alongside the allies. The New
Jersey and the Louisiana companies ex-
} ported about two and one half times
, more Of naptha in 1918 than in 1917. The
fuel oil record was better jumping
from 1,057,SS5 barrels in 1914 to =
063.136 barrels in 1917, And the signi-
. armistice was signed, there were in
France, Great Britain and Italy greater
stocks of oil and oil products than at
any time previous during the war.
The story OF the tank steamers Of the
Standard Oil company will lons be re-
membered in the annals of tn sea y
men who appreciate the quieg ner9fsn
: of sailors and officers who died r. the
line of duty. During tn, great War
before and after the Unitei states eater
ed the conflict, there We 10 So cH the
high seas ten steamers ~ rae cep 3any
: In this practical activ.ty an she par5 q.
the German undersess craze So mel lost
their lives and six were faGe~ 5prfsp ers
and carried off to CarmaHv &aAy 3ther
ships were attac'ed arilf % Am ericas
entry into the var
; 1t has bee sm ~ ~ out tina,
for these NJ s. tas A}%es ant Marine
no bands ~ nertR music mol
flags wa AIse FDr them there
. was no ex.slsa en- * 3 riotism in the
mass nuE sN reEff4n < feryor of the