Evening star., 1939-10-04
Lacking Oil Supply,
Germany al Mercy
Of Foreign Output
Supremacy in PetoIeum
Is One Promise of
Allied Victory
BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER.

BY COL. FREDERICK PALMER.
A mighty little word of only three
letters must be beating a warning
refrain in Hitler's ears as he
watches column of tanks rumble
by, watches air bombers rise fol-
flight, or returns the salutes of a
submarine crew at Wilhelmshaven
that claims a torpedoed ship to its
credit. The refrain will not be
silenced by the thunder of his own
voice or the automatic roar OF
answering cheers when he makes
his forthcoming Reichstag speech.
Oil-oil-oil-the oil that makes
gasoline, fuel and lubricants! Mus
solini surely has it in mind as he
considers just how much, and just
what kind, of bow he shall make
to any requests of his axis-partner
In the present juncture of their
relations
For all he has is in storage. He
has no wells, no coal for synthetic
production. If the British and
French Navies should close in on
the long coastline of the italian
bootleg in sea siege all sources
OF import would be closed to him.
Allies Have Plenty of Oil.
Prime Minister Chamberlain may
not be able to announce many i'm
portant offensive victories, but the
mention of petroleum products must
= whisper a reassuring prospect to
him for long war. Britain and
France have plenty of oil in sight
for 20-year war, access to many
OF the world great oil fields, as
we'll as their own production in the
Near East
1t was horse, foot and guns in
the old days of war Now it is oil
foot, guns and bombs A nation
may cadaverously manage as it
tightens its belt on short food ra-
tions. Synthetic may take the place
OF natural rubber and wheels can
turn on tires which have no inner
tubing. Shell cases may be saved
after shot is fired, iron, brass
and copper retrieved from domestic
AAopoildGIOllo, OuG llOC Oll.
Gasoline is the very life blood of
mechanization, as any one realizes
when his car runs out of gas be-
tween filling stations. A nation at
war has to watch its gas meter as
carefully as motorist on the desert.
Without gas army motortruckS
!. are as useless as stationary packing
boxes, tanks are stalled, planes can
not rise from the ground and a sub
marine is either tied up in port or
1t has to rise to the surface and wait
for a tow from an enemy ship. A
modern army is as crippled with
out gas as an army before the era
OF the automotive engine without
horses or mules.
How much gas and oil has Ger
many? No doubt she has been stor-
ing both. She got some by barter
from Mexico, but that field and all
overseas fields are closed to her
by the blockade. The lowest esti-
mate OF storage is enough for four
months of war; the highest, from
. any except German sources, is eight
months. Say she has six months
supply. This would only carry her
into May. if she started a campaign
soon on the western front, which is
one warrant for Gen. Gamelin,
French commander in chief, to keep
to a policy of watchful waiting.
Most of Oil Imported.
German consumption in 1898,
practically peacetime, was 53OO0,-
600 barrels. OF this, about 80 .OOO.-
600 was imported She got the rest
from her own fields. from coal and
by synthetic methods and the mix
ture of alcohol and gasoline. Her
total OF import and production in
1888 was hardly more than a mil
lion barrels more than consumption
for storage.
She must have in storage a con-
siderable quantity of the 10O-octane
gas which is used by our Army and
Navy planes an the Yankee Clip
perS and invaluable for speed, power
and range for planes and to prevent
engine trouble. 1t is difficult to
i. produce such high-grade gas from
coal and it is doubtful if Germany
has a plant for producing it from
petroleum. Britain has a 1000 900
barrel plant, and France one nearly
completed.
1t Is estimated that a mechanical
nation and highly mechanical
army at war will multiply peace
time consumption by two-and-one-
half times. which lifts the Reich's
consumption to 126,O0O,0OO barrels.
Where is she to get this enormous
amount? Not much economy is
possible In the restriction of the
. use OF passenger cars. Many are
required for general staff officers
and key men of all kinds.
How about Rumania as a source
Of supply? Her total production is
100000 barrels. OF this, she ex-
ports about 100000 barrels. Much
OF this goes to neighboring coun-
tries. Germany gets only Is per
cent.
And Russia? Her production is
206 100000 barrels, of which she ex-
ports about 100000. Could German
engineers greatly increase her sur
plus? They have been employed,
but they have not made much head
way. TIL Soviets' oil production has
not kept pace with Russian mechan-
ization in trucks, farm tractors and
industrial plants and of the army,
which has continually enlarged do
mestic consumption.
Transport Difficult Question.
Stain may say to Hitler, Home
folks first If Hitler should send
an army to take over the Rumanian
and Russian fields, that would re-
heve pressure on the Allies on the
western front. especially if the Ger
mans should be met by a reception
committee of the Russian Army in
fighting mood.
Granted the Reich had the Rus
sian fields, how transport the oil?
There is only one Soviet pipe line,
that from Baku to Batoum, To build
one to Germany would require at