The Washington herald., 1921-02-10
WORLDS GREATEST
COMMERCIAL WAR
NOW BEING WACED
Control of Petroleum Sup
ply Furnishes Excite
ment Aplenty.
8 POWERS INVOLVED
Standard Oil, Anglo-Persian
and Royal Dutch-Shell War
ring Corporations.
By HAROLD ID. JACOBS.

NEW YORK, Feb. 9.-The great
est commercial war of all time is
being waged for control Of the
worlds supply OF petroleum.
Directly it involves three Of the
most powerful of all corporations
the Standard Oil group on one side;
the Anglo-Persian, and Royal Dutch
Shell groups on the other.
Indirectly 1T involves the govern
ments of the United States and
Great Britain, and possibly France
and Holland.
All Concerns Affected.
In addition, every independent oil
concern. both foreign and Ameri-
can. is affected and many of the
smaller nations of the world which
have oil fields within their bounda-
ries are being made to feel this
struggle, politically and econom-
ically.
Since the world war petroleum
has superseded coal as the most
important Of the worlds products.
A European statesman is RESPONSE
BILE for the assertion that 'interna-
tional diplomacy now revolves about
oil"
DR.. Van H. Manning. acting head
of the American Petroleum Insti-
tute, emphasized the vital impor-
tance of the oil situation today in
an exclusive interview with the
United Press.
Manning, who formerly was di-
rector OF the Bureau Of Mines, is
now in charge of the foreign rela-
tions of the institute, which includes S
among its directors A. c. Bedford,
chairman of the Standard Oil Com
pany of New York; w. c. Teagle,
president of the Standard Oil Com
pany Of New Jersey: E. L. Doheny,
president of the Mexican Petroleum
Company; H. F. Sinclair, head Of the
Sinclair group, and Henry L. Doher-
ty, petroleum and electric power op-
orator.
| Sources of supply. the Question.
The oil problem of the future
will not be the finding of markets
but Of finding sources of supply
Manning said.
| 1T is certain that the United
States will have to obtain a consid'
erable portion of its supply from
outside territories. 1t is of supreme
consequence. therefore. that there
/ be an open door policy Throughout
the world.
Neither the United States govern
ment nor the American people il
asking for a monopoly or for an!
privileges that would endanger hi
security of other peoples"
Manning characterizes statement
recently made to the United Press
by offieiaIs of the AngloPersia
Oil Company, which is controlled b!
the British government througl
stock ownership, declaring tn
Standard Oil groups is seeking t
dominate the oil situation and hint
ing at support of the American gov
ernment, as "an attempt to beclout
the real issue.
The American people will not b
misled by any such Transparent
propaganda." he said. TT is un
thinkable that any American com
pany should engage in a contes
with the British government.
THE interests and rights of tn
American people as a whole rathe
/ than those of any one or severa
companies, are involved in the re
cent discussion between the Amer
ican and British government re
garding petroleum"
Manning referred to the America
state Department notifying Grea
Britain that the open door principl
must be observed in Mesopotamia
over which the British have
league Of nations mandate. hintini
that otherwise an embargo o.
American oil shipments to Grea
Britain might be invoked.
The question is, shall American
have equal rights to engage in IN
development of the resources OF tn
world with citizens of other nations
and shall Americans be granted tn
same privileges abroad which citi
; zens of other nations have enjoye
in the United states?" Manning de
clared.
Entitled to Rights,
ITO America it is obvious we ar