El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-03-20

will be NO oil at all left in this broad
domain This statement alone should
be sufficient to send the cold chills
up and down the spines of those in
vestOrs who are dependent upon oil
for the continuance OF their indus
tries. The call Of the government
scientists lis for an awakening. for
an up and at EN- policy IN finding
ne sources Of supply, and Of reach
ing economy through more effective
use Of the oil already in existence
l. :. Greatest Consumer
The United States has been the
greatest producer of oil and ike
wise the greatest consumer Until
recently a HIS contributed great
quantities 70 other nations. Vow il
has reached the point. however
where il uses more oil than II pro-
ouces- For the last year or two II
has cut deeply into the reserve sup
piles that have been held In tanks
from Baltimore to Bakersfield Last
year large quantities Of oil were i'm
ported from Mexico, but there is
slump in Mexican production be-
D. cause Of governmental Interference
in new work, and an exhaustion Of
some Of those great wells that lit
orally flowed rivers Of oil.
Next year there viii be need Of
more extensive importations. and still
more the next and the next The
demand for oil was never so insis-
tent Yet the American situation is
not TO be compared with that Of
{ Europe where there is an absolute
oil famine, and where fabulous
prices are offered for it. Gasoline in
France. for instance. is controlled by
the government, and the price Is not
allowed to rise in proportion 10 de-
mand- Yet gasoline sells for 81 a
gallon in France
where Is Next OIL Fields
! So the question arises as TO where
the supply OF oil. and particularly
/ gasoline, is 10 come from. VIII au-
tomobile owners be able 10 operate
b year after neXt2 The answer is.
obviously, that more oil must be
found, or the age Of oil viii enter
into decline At present there is an
eager and enthusiastic hunt for the
discovery Of new sources Of supply.
The biologists hold that the United
States is pretty well prospected. yet
thousands OF men are searching for
new Eldorados Of oil There is al
ways the lure that any man who
sinks a well may strike the greatest
field Of them all
While the United States is inten-
sively engaged in unearthing what
ever oil may lie within its borders.
Z others nations like England and
France, who are much harder
! pressed, and who realize fully the
prizes for which they are playing.
rare organizing world wide searches
! for the magic fluid. The other day
: Great Britain got a concession from
/ Persia giving the exclusive oil rights
for half that nation With highly
developed commercial instinct, Bril-
tain is mailing down all the oil
privileges she can America prone
to stand aloof while others enlarge
their spheres OF influence in this oil
crisis, may suffer in consequence.
Whole World 10 Be Prospecred.
But there is yet e whole wide
world TO be prospected for oil Rus
sia has been barely touched. but
great wells have gushed forth.
Africa and South America are
stupendous areas that may be made
TO flow rivers OF oil Mexico holds
great promise. and Oceania Invites
Many Of the barren places Of the
earth, fit for nothing else, may be
made to yield the heavy liquid which
man, with match. may set TO doing
The work OF 5000 Titans.
Today there are scores Of expedf-
lions leaving the United States,
other scores departing from London.
from Amsterdam. from MarseiIles.
each headed by an engineer versed
in the mysteries OF oil. and these
viii course the world from pole 10
pole in search OF this liquid which
is richer to man than fine gold