Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-07-14

With an estimated output last year Of
216,O00000 barrels, the Soviet Union
ranked second only to the United States
as producer Of petroleum. According
to reports reaching Washington, the
Nazis are getting little oil from Soviet
Russia. There are two possible explana-
lions. The Soviet government may need
the full output of the Russian wells, or
1t may not be disposed, for political rea-
sons to extend any economic help to
Germany, now the master of continental
Europe.
Italy is even more deficient in petro-
leum resources than Germany. In 1899,
Italian wells had an estimated produce
ton of less than 100000 barrels. Oil fields
in Albania produced about !, 400 900 bar
rels last year, q welcome addition to
1taly's meager supply. Like Germany,
Italy Is believed to have accumulated
substantial reserves of oil. If Britain
holds out against Herr Hitler's expected
blitzkrieg, and the British Navy con-
tinues to cut of Italys sea-borne trade,
Italy may later face shortage of
fuel
Control of some of the worlds largest
oil fields are at stake in the battle be-
tween Britain and Italy, in the Medi-
terranean and the Near East. Among
these are the oil wells in the Mosul area,
with production last year of 100000
barrels. OIL is carried from Mosul to the
Mediterranean in huge forked pipe line.
One fork terminates at Haifa, in Pal
estine, a British mandate, and the other
at Tripoli, in the French inundated terri
tory of Syria.
Oil to Tripoli Cut on.
Engineers of the 1rak Petroleum Co.
have stopped pumping oil to Tripon or
Italy through this channel. American
interests are represented in the owner
ship of the 1rak Petroleum Co. Majority
control rests with British group.
Berlin to Bagdad" was the slogan of
the German expansionists in the days of
the Kaiser. A defeat of Britain would
give the axis powers virtually a clear
road to the domination of Irak and other
Near Eastern countries. On the island
OF Bahrein, in the Persian Gulf, there
are large oil fields now being developed
by American capital. Last years output
was about 100000 barrels. Oil produc-
ton in Saudi Arabia amounts to about
100000 barrels annually.
AS long as she retains command of the
Atlantic sea lanes, Britain need have no
fear of shortage Of gasoline and oil.
Though entirely dependent on imports
from overseas, Britain has access to vast
sources of supply in the United States,
South America and the Far East. Though
the Mediterranean is unsafe for British
ships since the entrance of Italy into the
war, oil from Iraq, Iran and Bahrein
Island still can reach the British Isles
around Cape of Good Hope.
Possession of large feet of tankers
Is one Of Britain's big assets Many for
mer Norwegian and Dutch tankers have
passed under British control, acquisitions
which probably more than Offset losses
to date by Nazi submarines. The
British Navy, in attempting a blockade
OF the Continent, and in patrolling the
Empires far-flung sea lanes, consumes
vast quantities of fuel. Fueling the
Royal Navy costs lot of money The
supplies, however, are readily at hand,
and will continue available as long as
British tankers ply the high seas.
British Sources Superior.
Despite her relative lack of oil re-
sources, Nazi Germany has conquered
large part of Western Europe. Only
Britain now stands in the way of a COM
plete domination of Europe by Germany
and her axis partner. If Britain can hold
out against the full force of the axis
air and submarine fleets and prevent q
successful invasion of her soil, the en-
pire's vastly superior oil resources may
weigh more heavily in the scales than
they have since the outbreak Of the war
last September. In long war, particu-
larly If British air planes are able to
bomb enemy oil tanks with consistent
success, this superiority may count for
much.
In the light of the Nazi blitzkrieg tech
nique with its massing of airplanes,
tanks and mechanical units, 1t is obvious
that the United States Army must revise
upward its estimates Of wartime con-
sumption of oil and gasoline. Fortunately,
ample supplies are at hand in this coun-
try and elsewhere in the Western Henri
sphere. 1t is essential, however, that the
Army and Navy have large stocks of
aviation gasoline and oil always at hand,
ready for any emergency, and that pro-
vision be made in peace time, for their
quick replenishment and augmentation.