The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-05-26
FEAR OIL WELLS
OF MEXICO ARE
PETERINC OUT
Pressure Exerted To
Secure Accurate
Data.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


cos oil wells running dry? The
effort to get the government here to
issue some procurement answer
Ing that question has behind it a
series Of conflicting desires and in
terests. Thus far the department
Of state which HAS been asked by
Chairman Porter Of the house COM
mittee on foreign affairs, for a COM
plete report on the oil resources
OF Mexico, has not yet assembled
its data, or seen fit to publish its
conclusions.
The controversy as to whether or
not the material should be pub
lished is unusual in its character.
One element in the oil industry who
have holdings in Mexico and who
fear the adverse effect Of the re-
port insist that the government
ought not to put its stamp of ap-
proval on anything that might tend
to diminish the value of Oil stocks.
Another element says that infor-
nation in possession of the gov
ernment is public property and that
the American people are entitled to
know about it They insist that
the situation is parallel to that
which arises when through the
United States geological survey OF
the federal trade commission fig
ures are published concerning the
production of coal and other COM
modities where the price depends q
good deal on the output.
1t is a fact that government Of.
ficials have informally been con-
jecturing that Mexico's oil wells
are in danger of running dry and
estimates have been made that thif
would happen anywhere between
IS months and three years. From
these informal references to the oil
supply have grown rumors that the
government had definite data OF
hand. Pressure to get that data
published has led in one case to ar
official denial that the government
here had authorized any statement
on the question.
i Relies on Agents.
The department of state OF cours,
has no experts who can tell whel
oil wells are running dry. 1t mus
rely upon the agents of tie depart
ment Of commerce, the Unite'
States shipping board and consu
lar reports which are in themselye
based on the opinions of men in tn
oil industry. While it is true tina
some oil wells have been running
dry in Mexico, the counter argu
ment is made that with the estab
lishment of friendly relations wit
the Obregon government will com
drilling on new wells to make u
for those which may become value
less.
The department of commercs
y however, is not relying on Mexic
,, alone as q source Of oil supply.
is already doing all in its power t
i, encourage American interests
get oil-bearing areas in South Amer
!, lea. The situation is vital from th
viewpoint of national defense 70
! hitherto Mexico has furnished
+ large part of the worlds oil. Their
! is no certainty either that the O
! wells of the United States will COZ
tinue at their present capacity fo
more than IS or 20 years and there
fore a far-seeing government mut
concern itself with new sources {
supply.
Await Data.
Meanwhile the issuance OF th
governments data on the subjet
! is awaited with especially keen II
terest by all factions in the oil bu:
mess. The Porter resolution ha
not passed the house but Represent
:, ative Porter will probably be give
the information anyway inasmuc
as he is chairman Of the foreign Al
fairs committee Of the house an
he can make as much Of 1t publ
as he pleases.