Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-02-13

THE OIL CRISIS

VI 0V yCAA0p Sh WI ~ 49, 80
at al left In this broad domain.
This statement alone should be
suficient to send the cold chills up
and down the spines Of those In
vestors who are dependent upon
oil for the continuance OF their
industries. The call OF the govern
ment scientists II for an awaken
ing, for an up-and-at-'em policy In
finding new sources Of supply, and
Of reaching economy through more
effective use Of the oil already in
existence.
The United States has been the
greatest producer Of oil. and like
wise the greatest consumer. I'm
til recently 1t has contributed great
quantities to other nations. Now
1t has reached the point, however.
where It uses more Oil than it pro-
.duces. For the last year or two 1t
has cut deeply into the reserve sup
plies that have been held in tanks
from Baltimore to Bakersfield.
Last year large quantities OF oil
were imported from Mexico, but
there is q slump in Mexican pro-
duction because Of governmental
Interference in new work, and an
exhaustion Of some Of those great
wells that literally flower rivers Of
oil.
Next year there will be need Of
more extensive importations, and
still more the next and the next.
The demand for oil was never 50
insistent. Yet the American situa-
ton is not to De 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 to demand. Yet gaso-
line sells for . dollar . gallon in
France.
So the question arises as to where
the supply Of oil, and particularly
gasoline, is to come from. Will au-
tomobile owners be able to oper-
ate year after next? The answer is,
obviously, that more Oil must be
found, or the age Of oil will 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 Elderados of
oil. There is always the lure that
any man who sinks q well may
strike the greatest field Of them
all.
While the United States is in
tensively engaged in unearthing
, whatever oil may lie. within its
borders, other nations like Eng
land and France, who are much
harder pressed. and who realize
! fully the prizes for which they are
playing, are organizing worldwide
searches for the magic fluid. The
other day Great Britain got "a con-
cession from Persia giving the ex-
elusive oil rights for half that ma
ton. With highly developed COM
mercial instinct, Britain 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.
But there is yet . whole wide
world to be prospected for oil.
Russia has been barely touched, but
great wells have gushed forth. At
RIGA and South America are stu
pendous 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 q match, may set
to doing the work of ten thousand
Titans.
Today there are scores of expedi-
tons leaving the United States, 9TH
er scores departing from London,
from Amsterdam, from Marseilles,
each headed by an engineer versed
in the mysteries of oil, and these
will course the world from pole to
pole in search of this liquid which
is richer to man than fine gold.