El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-05-12
Oil Industry
BLOOking For
4 Great Fight
Competition With British
Interests For World
Trade Forecast.

Washington. D. c., May 12-FolIov-
| ing reports from Mexico some months
ago, recently denied, that the lord
Cowdray interests in the Tampfco oil
fields, worn out with their long con-
tests and disagreements with the Car
rama government would sell these
big properties TO the British govern
ment, which viii be able sharply 70
bring the Carranza ring TO time and
prevent any more robbery in the shane
OF conIlscatory taxes of the wells. the
I OH INDUSTRY Of this country has or
ganized 70 fight to maintain its domi-
nant position in the oil trade OF the
With the British government in
control OF the Tampico fields it is
reallzed by American interests that a
gigantic competitor for the oil trade
OF the world will come into being, to
be followed later by an invasion oil
American fields by the British. This
would be especially so in the Chinese
trade, now controlled by the Standard
oil company
Appeal 10 Wilson.
President Wilson has been appealed
10 70 see that American oil interests
are given consideration at the peace
conference that they may be safe
Britain's campaign.
Statistics aave been prepared for
use at the conference. If the presi-
dent desires, showing the exact posi-
ton Of the United States to the rest
OF the world as regards petroleum
products and the future supply that
the United States industry has to de-
pend upon This Information has been
compiled through cooperation Of the
trade with government agencies
Two government officials have been
holding themselves in readiness to 20
20 Paris at short notice TO advise /
about terms safeguarding the Ameri- 3
can petroleum industry. should they ]
be called by the president These are ]
Mark l. ReQua, director general OF I
the oil division O the fuel admins z
tration. and DIT. Van H Manning, d. !
rector Of the bureau Of mines. who
are supposed to be the best Informed I
men in this country today on the 4
general oil situation.
For more than six months the Unit I
ed States has had in london follow I
ing the interallied petroleum confer I
ence which he attended. a trained Pc
troleum expert who has been keeping !
the government officials here in 4
formed regarding the steps taken by I
Great Britain toward the acquisition
OF oil resources not only in Mexico /
but other parts Of the world, indicat- +
ing. a determination TO get world coz /
troll
To Fight Trade War
While waiting for president Wilson 4
and his associates at the peace table I
TO take official action, the oil indus Z
try in this country has been fortifying 4
itself 10 offer a solid front to win 4
this impending trade war just as IL /
made IL possible for the allied cause I
to float TO victory on oil"
Just as the oil industry OF this .
country was modified during the war.
giving cooperation 10 the government &
in supplying the enormous needs for /
petroleum products and by-products I
to win the war so now the oil indus
try has modified and expects the
cooperation and support Of the gov
eminent to maintain its world trade I
leadership. TO preserve its home sup
plies and TO acquire foreign reserves
For years the petroleum industry
has been agitated by bitter fights be-
tween the Independents" and the So
called trusts" In the national and I
international crisis Of the war the pc
troleum industry responded whole
heartedly TO the call OF the govern
ment for better and more systematiZed i
production and ss-tributiOn OF petro-
leum and its products. To make this
possible. the Independents and the
trusts had authorized representative
leaders as a cabinet to Requa. the D
federal fuel oil administrator This
organization was known as the ma
tional petroleum war service commit
tee. with 80 mem bers, Of which A. C.
Bedford. head Of Standard Oil. was
Chairman