Evening star., 1928-01-29

| VI ed across the stage OF WOrld al
4 fairs than the present tumul-
tuous conflict between worldwide
belligerent oil interests, American and
British and Dutch and Russian. backed
in varying degrees by the political poll
cies OF their governments.
Such Is the view of Washington at
this week end as the complicated tale
Of the affair continues to unfold itself
with a constant increase not Of clarity,
but OF confusion.
There has been transmitted to Presi-
dent Coolidge from one OF the most i'm
portant of American oil companies an
elaborate and highly illustrated memo
randum tending to demonstrate an AL
legged great drain upon American native
oil resources by foreign oil interests op-
Grating within the territory OF the
United States. This is an attack upon
the Royal Dutch Shell oil group of the
Netherlands and of Great Britain. which
owns i'm the United States the impor-
tant companies colled "Roxana" and
Shell OF California" which in turn
withdrew from the soil of the United
States in the last full year OF statistical
record, the immense total Of $500, 900
metric tons of petroleum.
Seeks Right to Lease.
At the very same time the Minister
OF the Netherlands to the United States.
Mr. j. II. van Roijen, has initiated nego-
tiations with the American State De-
partment in an effort TO regain for
Dutch oil companies. such as the "ROx-
ana and the Shell OF California" the
right TO acquire oil leases on the Fed
eral public lands of the United States
Government. This right has been in
practice withheld from them ever since
Secretary of State Hughes and the gov
ernment of the Netherlands engaged
some years ago in a bitter diplomatic
argument regarding the failure OF the
Standard Oil Co. of New Jersey TO Sc
cure a certain oil concession in the So
called Djambi field in the Dutch East
Indies That concession was given by
the government OF the Netherlands to
the Royal Dutch Shell interests.
1t might thereupon be concluded that
the great contestants IN the present
worldwide oil struggle would be the
Royal Dutch Shell interests on the one
hand and the Standard OH Co. OF New
Jersey on the other.
The Royal Dutch Shell interests are
undoubtedly the greatest non American
oil enterprise in the world. The Stand
the United States Federal Trade Com
mission. is the most important single oil
company of American nationality In
order that everything should be clear
and easily understood. and in order that
the extreme patriots on both sides might
be able TO cheer in good conscience at
the tops OF their voices for their re-
spective flags and oil magnates, the
contest should be one between the big
geSt American outfit. the Standard OIL
Of New Jersey. and the biggest foreign
outfit. the Royal Dutch Shell.
Unfortunately for clarity and for full
throated unreaSonlng patriotism it Is
not,
Magnates Are Friends.
The Standard Oh Co OF New Jersey
and the Royal Dutch Shell foreign oil
magnates are now fast friends: and the
government OF the Netherlands is on
the instant verge of granting 10 the
Standard Oh Co. of New Jersey an oil
concession OF great magnitude in the
Dutch East Indies and the islands OF
Java and Sumatrs and Madeira. This
concession covers an area OF some 600
square miles and Is highly gratifying
both TO the Standard OIL Co. OF New
Jersey and 10 our American diplomatic
trade representatives in Dutch East IN
dies ports
II is because OF this concession in
Dutch territory 10 an American conf
pany that the government of the Meth
erlandS. through It's Minister here. Is
now asking our Government reciprocally
10 grant full and free and equal oppor-
Iunties 10 Dutch OIL companies or
American Federal governmental public
lands.
II is 10 be noted further that The
Royal Dutch Shell people in this coun-
try do not any longer represent merely
foreign capital among Us. American
banking interests have now sold 10
American investors numerous ROYAL
Dutch Shell securities To The total value
OF more than $3.50 600 600.
II Is additionally To be noted for the
a$suagement of American apprehen-
SlonSl that the Royal Dutch Shsll COM
panles are private enterprises and are
not at all owned by the British govern
ment or by the Dutch government or ey
any other foreign government A mis-
apprehension on this point has arisen
trom the fact that the British govern
ment has certain financial investment
in The Anglo Persian on Co II has
never been shown, however, 10 have
any such interest III the compan,eS
composing the Royal Shell group.
1t IS 10 be noted further that il is ex-
irsmeiy difflcult for us 10 make our any
really pathetic case 10 the effect that
our oil resources are being dispruyor-
uonately drained away from us by tor
etgn interests In our midst, II is true
that We may be now producing some
70 per cent of the worlds annual cut
put Of petroleum, but it is also true