The Kevin review., 1926-12-16

constituent.
Though petroleum in the hands Of in
yent0rs became an agent of terrible de-
struction, it had its beueficient uses in
battle as well as in periods of tranquility.
Armies organized on so vast a scale could
not have fed without it. When the battle
ragged the Red Cross vehicles transporting
wounded to dressing stations and field
hospitals were propelled by gasoline. And
where darkness had fallen on the fray, the
oil lamp and paraffine candle were lighted
to cheer the tired soldiers
Variety of War Usage
Petroleum products were to be found
wherever there was a Yesige of life in the
battle zones the soldiers in the dug-outs
used oil for cooking as well as light and
all traffic was guided from disaster along
the roads by the use of oil, and it was
the only source of light In the Red Cross
vehicles. What an immense organization il
was which depended for its ceaseless actiY-
I tiles upon petroleum products.
/ The British established a petroleum de-
pot at Calais of an immensity previously
/ unprecedented, where all products required
for the organization of TRANSPORT were
stored. And we must not forget that lubri-
cants of all kinds were as essential as
gasoline to keep moving the wheels of the
innumerable motors employed in all arms
of the service.
If petroleum was the life blood of activ-
lty in the battle areas it was equally so
of the munitions factories. Had a petroleum
famine arisen during the days when fac
tories in Britain and France were strain
ing every effort to keep their armies sup
piled with the means of combat, it would
have been an incalculable catastrophe.
Though the Allies, once they really
awakened to the vital Importance of petro-
leum supplies had pursued the policy Of
piling up reserves of petroleum products
there were times when the failure of a
single tanker to arrive on schedule time
from this side of the Atlantic caused grave
APPREHENSION; and when in April, 1917, the
United States entered the war, reserve sup
plies had fallen dangerously low
Foch Praises Supply
If only because it placed the entire oil
resources of America at the disposal of
the Allies, our entry into the war proved
the salvation of their cause; and the story
of what the oil interest sof this country
did TO strengthen the hands of the fighting
men is one of the brightest chapters in the
history of the war. After the Armstice,
Marshal Foch summarized the achievements
in these words: mo military operation
of the Allies, on sea, on land, under the
sea or in the air was ever interrupted by
teh lack of Petroleum supplies"
Germany Adopts Desperate Expedient
Unquestionably one of the motives which
aetuated Germany when, in February, 1917,
she decreed unrestricted warfare and or
dered, q partial rehabilitation of the Brit
was the hope of cutting off the petroleum
supplies of her foes. Even before President
Wilson declared war. several Americas
-ankers had been sunk by German U Boats.
The German Government fully understood
hat a cessation of oil shipments from
American ports would mean an almost inn
mediate paralysis of belligerent effective
less in her foes and the German Peace
or which they had long been maneuvering,
would have been accomplished.
An Absolute Necessity
When activity was keenest on the West
,rn Front, eighty per cent of the fuel used
~ the Allies came from the U. s.. After
orty eight per cent of the fighting force
# Great Britain was dependent on oil
or fuel and any delay in the supply would
lave brought the Allies down with a crash-
The Crisis
1t is now admitted that in the spring OF
917 the Allies were closer to disaster than
vas known to any save a few men at the
ead of affairs. 1t was turning point in
he worlds history Next to manpowers and
munitions the resources NEEDED above all
thers were petroleum and its products.
'he French coal fields had been lost. There
vas a labor shortage in Great Britain,
sussian, Roumanian and Galician resources
f supply were definitely in the enemy's
ands The Mediterranean Sea, through
which the far eastern supplies must come,
vas hot-bed of submarines. Losses of
Ill steamer in all dangerous waters were
% great as to show that they had been
amed as special targets by the German
Ugh command.
Immediately after our declaration of war,
rgent dispatches from Great Britain
armed our government that reserve sup
lies of petroleum in Europe were so low
nat unless immediate assistance was rem
cred q partial rehabilitation of the Brit
III Fleet must ensue I'VE must have oil,''
aid Marshal FOch, who had not yet been
eyated to the Supreme Command, "or we
nall lose the war" Italy was in no better
osition, fuel oil, aviation, naptha, gasoline
nd lubricants had been so seriously de-
eted.
Our Response
When the secret of this situation was
communicated to the leaders
the American oil industry, there was an
stant response. The National Petroleum
Tar Service Committee was formed with
+. A. c. Bedford Chairman of the Board
Standard Oil Company OF New Jersey,
its presiding officer. This organization
nbraced all the oil companies of the
nited States. Those who had been life
ng keen business rivals Joined hands to.
,ep the great war machine in Europe IN
.tion. Profits became minor eonsidera-
on Agreements to stabilize prices and
lrb specuIation were formulated and OBJ
rived. Production on scale previously
ere formulated and observed. Production
scale previously unprecedented even
this land of enormous production was
ganized.
Soon it was reorganized that the work
the National Petroleum War Service
)mmittee, though unOstentatiously per-
rmed was the most efficient and the
ost fruitful in results for the cause of
mocracy of any industrial institution of
e war 1t achieved the remarkable feat
meeting every war demand for petroleum.
oducts of all kinds, of conveying these
ross the Atlantic despite the submarine
ourage. When the war ended there We're
rger stocks on hand in Great Britain
ID European countries for the use of the
mics and navies of America and her
lies, than at any previous time in history
lese results were achieved by the volun-
ry efforts of thousands of men serving
every phase of the oil industry, crude
refining and transportation.
ter the armistice the Government OF
ance, in recognition of these accomplish
snts, conferred on Mr.. Bedford the Cross
the Legion of Honor.
Co ordination being arranged the prob
MS to be dealt with were two: ~ In
aased production. ~ Sea transport. The
st constitutes a record of highly organ
d endeavor, never surpassed in this his
" of industry; the second one of actual
roism.
Plans for increased production were well
der way by the summer of 1917, and III
list be remembered entry into the
r and our resolve to create an immense
fully equipped army greatly increased
mestic necessities in addition to the
legation to keep our Allies supplied.
erybody concerned was thinking Of the
blows which we hoped would end the
+ in 1918.
t semed that in the winter of 1917-1S
. very elements were fighting with Ger
ny. The extreme severity of that winter
ed by a coal shortage, all but para1yzed