The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-05-07
an, usrhe, uussat,ons,
The Quest for Oil to Rule
Desti1y of the World

From the latest reports, II would
appcar that the Baku oil fields are
tbe most important bone of con-
tentlon i'm the entire list, with the
nowers now assembled at Genoa.
Tho Russians are trying to negoti-
ate the sale OF the privately owned
,u fields on the Baltic coast, To
snvone who will finance the fall
ing fortunes of the soviet govern
ment, =,
had turned down the offer made
in that British concern by the Rus
sIans. because of the fact that
other people were not given a
.ouare deal is "a little hard to swal-
low. because even in this country
oil companies are mighty sure OF
holding on 10 everything possible,
no matter whose rights are affected
thereby.
II may be true. that the Dutch
Shell people are playing square
with all the allies, and the chances
are II so they recognize the fact
that they themselves. must even
,uallv make settlement with the
former owners who operated In
Russia before the revolution. Bel
oil companies, which formerly ope-
rated in Russia, and the chances
are that Belgium, with her modern
apps could make II mighty warm
for tho long haired soldiers OF Rus
sia. and do 1t right now.
Were 1t not for the oil fields,
which are certainly badly wanted
nv American and foreign companies,
= 4.
settlement OF the difficulties per-
tanning to reorganization, now up
for discussion in Genoa. The fact
that they are so valuable is easily
Illustrated by the fact that the
Barnsdan corporations stock sky
rocketed when tho report was pub
Ished n month or so ago that that
concern had perfected an agree
ment with Russia which would give
them a part at least, of the Baku
fields.
IL is denied now that anyone has
a lease, but this, of course. comes
from Russia which could not be
depended upon for the truth under
any circumstances: but IL one con-
cern has a concession, the chances
are that the standard is not left out.
nor the Dutch Shell either. when
It comes to final settlement. II
Is all a lovely mixup that the pow
ers have gotten into and the ques-
tion as TO who Is going to get the
oil fields, is the paramount issue OF
all
From Mexico comes the report
that the big five, meaning the
heads of five OF the largest oil con-
Germs in the United States, after
putting in 10 days in an argument
with President Obregon and his
cabinet, came away without max
ing a settlement other than that the
taxes should be paid three times a
month. is indefinite so far as
the general public knows, whether
or not Mexico has been promised
recognition by the United States
government: and 1t II also decidedly
Indefinite as to whether the big
five are going to have the exclusive
rights to wildcat in that country.
II 1t should prove TO be a fact
that the Mexican government is GO
ing to bar everybody out but the
five companies represented at the
conference, there will be another
war, and perhaps the United State~
navy will take a hand. 1t Is alto
gether too unbelievable to even
worry about, and especially as Pres
ident Obregon knows that with
everybody drilling in Mexico, there
will likely be "A lot more money paid
out for drilling costs. than will ever
be realized from oil produced there
As the case now stands, the United
states oil companies have spent more
money. many times over. than they
have taken out of Mexico, even
counting the vast pipeline systems
at Junk prices.