The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-24
England Plans to Control the
Worlds Oil Supply.
Allow Only British to Exploit
British Territory.
AMERICANS CAN'T KEEP PACE
Demand for Fuel Liquids Not
Being Met.
France and Holland May Join
New Economic Move.

Washington. April 24-Frequent
statements credited to English sources
that the British empire will soon con-
the world are borne out by informa-
ton in possession of various depart
ments of the government.
No disposition exists to blame Great
Britain for her xploitations-they are
regarded as an effort to assure fuel
supplies for her own warships. com
mercial fleets and industries. But the
activities of Britain, coupled with
those of other countries, are used to
warn America that her own supply of
petroleum is dwindling, and that be-
fore long she will be dependent on
foreign supplies.
Acquisitian of foreign oil lands by
Americans is urged by government
observers to insure fuel for the new
merchant fleet. the more than six
million automobiles, the navy, which,
it is asserted. will be the largest in
quantities of petroleum required by
industry. Only in this way, it is as
serted, can America avoid a tremen-
dous toll in profits to the financial in
terests of other countries in years to
come.
Drive World Wide.
1t was recently learned by one gov
eminent agency, for instance, that
English interests are trying to get
large concessions in Peru, and exclu-
sive rights to explore for oil there. 1t
was said today by one authority there
is not a section of the world likely TO
produce oil where British interests are
not seeking arrangements which will
enable them to control oil from the
well to the consumer.
British economists are responsible
| for the statement that with the eX-
ception of Mexico, and to a lesser ex-
| tent Central America, Great Britains
control of the future oil supply is Sc
| cure. They assert British and Dutch
companies will dominate the oil fields
| of Russia and Rumania. when produc-
| ton there RECEIVERS from curtailment
| caused by the war. The British virtu-
ally control the Persian fields, and
French and British are rapidly &C
quiring oil lands of the Near East,
That it has made Britain's position in
| Mexico as good If not better than
Americas and that the British have
the advantage in Central America
| Venezuela, Trinidad, and of course in
the British territories of Egypt and
| India.
Jealous of Americans.
1.-THE American production OF oil is
not keeping pace with the demand, >
said Van H. Manning, director of the
bureau of mines. Facing a probable
| shortage of the domestic supply we
| find our nationals are excluded from
| foreign fields, and this in spite of the
| fact that foreign nations have beer
permitted to enter and exploit our owr
oil resources on an equality with
American citizens.
This country has supplied a large
| part of the petroleum consumed by
the world, and yet. with a failing sup
ply imminent, it finds that those coun-
tries have been drawing upon our re
! sources to supply their needs, and are
| showing tendency to exclude US from
their resources. In this way we shall
be transferred from a position OF
dominance into one of dependence.
| Close Oil Doors.
I'VE find England and France
| adopting policies already in part in
| corporated in laws or regulations thai
now virtually exclude other than THEN
own nationals from developing oil re
sources within their own realms"
Manning listed the most promisins
oil districts outside the United State:
as in Mexico, along the Caribbean, il
Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina
Northern Africa. Egypt. Persia, Meso-
potamia, Palestine, Russia, the Eas
Indies and China.
| when one reviews these potentia
oil fields, he is struck with the fac
that Latin America, Great Britain
France and the Netherlands apparent
ly control the main potential source.
of supply and particularly those tina
are of the most concern to the United
States" said Manning. "Of course,
do not mean to insinuate that the poll
cies of these countries are aimed di
rectly at Americans. The policy O.
each country is to look after its owl
citizens: hence it is directed agains
the citizens of all other countries anC
thus affects Americans"