Evening Star Newspaper, November 30, 1936, Page 14

A-14 WARLIKE NATIONS - INNEW OIL RACE Coal Hydrogenation Process Developing Where Scar- city Is Problem. The nations race to rearm on the {ndustrial front, as Germany and Italy, among the “have-not” pow= ers, push their “self-suficiency” programs, spurred on by the Fascist-Communist cleavage over the civil war in Spain. What the nations are doing to develop syn- thetic raw materials needed in war {8 discussed here in the second of a series of articles by a well-known writer who was formerly a civilian chemist in the United States Army chemical warfare service and who had access to confidential docu- ments in his research. BY WILLIAM GILMAN. A process discovered by Dr. Fried- rich Bergius, a German, has brought & Nobel prize to him and new hope to the “have-nots” among the powers | thirsting for more gasoline and oil than Mother Nature has supplied them. Dr. Bergius was once an assistant to Dr. Fritz Haber, the German chem- ical wizard, who developed the proc- ess whereby nitrogen of the air is made into explosives. By converting coal into gasoline, he may be doing as much for the Reich's future war plans as Haber did in the World War. In the United States oil is still cheap and more or less plentiful. Neverthe- less, American oil companies have a share in the Bergius patents, and will begin turning coal into gasoline when- ever the domestic petroleum reservoir runs dry or becomes so limited that gasoline prices rise and the expensive synthetic gasoline will be able to com- pete. In foreign nations the Bergius coal hydrogenation process has already been put to work in the race for syn- thetic implements of warfare. The importance of this alchemy is obvious. Coal is still abundant and cheap. Oil—"black gold"—is not. A nation would be rash, indeed, that went to war without a sufficient supply of motor fuel for its armored tanks, airplanes and motorized transports. But with most nations possessing large coal supplies, the solution is clear. Coal mines can pinch-hit for oil wells. U. S. and Russia Lead. Of the seven major powers, only the United States and Russia have enough crude oil to meet their in- ternal and extraordinary needs. France and the British Empire may be included among the “haves"—but only if they keep the seaways epen to their colonies and protectorates. The “have-nots” must depend upon such “oil cows” as Venezuela, Mexico, Rumania, Iran and imports from America and Russia. Hence, the world's most pugnacious nations of 1936—Germany, Italy and Japan—are frantically searching for power fuels. Their alliances help them little. Italy found no oil in Ethiopia. Japan found little in Manchuria, to her disappointment. Nor could she get much more if she seized all China. But she has found much coal in Manchuria. There is much more in North China. As a result, the government-sub- sidized South Manchurian Railway has begun a huge coal hydrogenating plant at Fushun, with a reported ca- pacity of 20,000 tons of oil a year, Japan also found oil-bearing shale in Manchuria, and her navy took out 54,000 tons of oil in 1934. But Japan s still far from self-sufficiency. supplying fuel gas by distillation of wood or charcoal. Other “have-nots” are acting sim- ilarly. Crechoslovakia requires 20 per cent alcohol in motor fuels; Braail requires gasoline to contain 10 per cent alcohol; one German variation, in Bavaria, is to give purchasers of cars that burn wood gas & state sub- sidy of $240. Gigantic British Plant. But the Bergius process is the big thing. It is now thoroughly practical. England has gone in briskly for hy- drogenation. England’s outstanding chemical event of 1936 was completion of a gigantic plant at Billingham, first in the world to make gasoline on a commercial basis from bitumi- nous coal. Its production next year is expected to reach 150,000 tons. Germany, prime example of the trend in “totalitarian™ states, has en- thusiastically adopted this nine-point fuel program: Maore petroleum from German fields, and search for new ones; less impor- tation of refined petroleum products; use of motors burning gas; production of more petroleum products synthet- ically; experiments with vehicles us- ing wood, charcoal and coal dust for fuel; use of vehicles using electricity and steam; substitute fuels in sta- tionary engines; blended fuels in ordinary motor cars, such as those containing alcohol and gasoline; con- servation of gasoline by pleasure drivers. But working against Germany, and other nations equally fuel-hungry, are such factors as these: The ever-in- creasing number of motor vehicles and Diesel motors; the increasing de- mands for gasoline and oil by the army and navy; the great cost of producing gasoline synthetically and of converting motors to the use of | substitutes exclusively; loss of import | duties. Coal - synthesized gasoline costs | thrice as much as gasoline from oil. The expense of erecting hydrogenation plants—which create gasoline by the | chemical union of gaseous hydrogen and powdered coal under high pressure —is tremendous. And the alterna- tive—conversion of cars to the use of pure alcohol—would also be very cost- ly. As yet, only blends are used. Experis agree Germany can become self-sufficient only if she can afford | to pay highly for it. She evidently is willing to make this convulsive effort. Her hydrogenation plants are expected next year to produce upward of 450,- | 000 tons of synthetic gasoline. That will supply about a third of the need. Meanwhile, the hunt for home oil wells | has raised production to 3,500,000 bar- "rels of crude oil annually, so that | | home oil now balances the amount still imported out of necessity. Germany to End Imports. These were the achievements Hitler had in mind recently when he prom- | ised Germany she would have no need |for foreign gasoline on her network | | of “eternal” roads. He said the new | | roads would be ready in five years, | |but that in 18 months Germany no | longer would need te import motor fuel. | The “have” nations, meantime, need not be overly jubilant about nature's | gifts. Facts show why. Up to Jan- | uary 1, 1936, according to figures given | the Third World Power Conference, | the world had produced 27,000,000.- | | 000 barrels of crude oil. Only about 125,000,000,000 barrels of proven re- | serves recoverable by present known | methods remained. And the oil drai goes on. Total world production last | year was 1,634,800,150 barrels. Fif- teen years more of such siphoning, and where will the oil reserves be? | Of the world’s remaining proven [ oamomy S oME Pt How .AEOI{(‘SIO FOR B THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1936. DAN DUNN BANKOK WANTS US TO TO LOOK AT HIS HOUSE TO SEE IF ANY [ SHOULD ONE IS PROWLING AROUND =-HE THINKS DAKE'S OLD GANG IS ON HIS TRAIL ! Secret Operative 48. HE HAS SOME COUNTERFEITING | BUT T PLATES THAT |READ WHERE VES. THE CHIEF WILL BE HERE SHORTLY --I TOLD HIM TO BRING WOLF-- AND AS SLIM AND HIS COMPANION DRIVE TOWARDS BANKOK'S HOUSE, DAN DUNN AND IRWIN — BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH WOLF ? ' NEAR --HE LOVES HER/ HE'LL LOCATE KAY IF SHE'S ANYWHERE)HERE SOON-- —Bv NORMAN MARSH WELL.I HOPE HE GETS IM GETTING AWFULLY reserves, the United States has an| estimated 12,000,000,000 barrels, about half of the world total. Heretofore, ‘Uncle Sam has produced 60 per cent ol the world's needs. ducing & billion barrels a year. That means the known reserves will be | gone by 1948. When oil goes up in price, Amer- o Wi to hydrogena- | fJoan} refinais will s M | Broughton Coon for & highway law tion and power alcohol enthusiasts may win their long fight to see alco hol blended with gasoline in this country. A few weeks ago, to show the trend, the United States Bureau | of Mines prepared for the synthetic gasoline age by opening an exceri- mental hydrogenation plant at Pitt e burgh. Standard Oil of New Jersey has cornered the patent rights for the hydrogenation process in this coun- try—entering into a three-way agree- ment with the German I. G. Dye trust, holding the biggest share of rights in the patent pool, and the | gigantic British trust, Imperial Chem- ical Industries. Unquestionably, Dr. Bergius' process has been given a big role to play and is as big a factor in American industrial plans as in foreign war preparations. (Copyrixht. 1936,) Trippe Lands With Zep. RIO DE JANEIRO, November 30 (#)—Juan Trippe, president of Pan-' American Airway, and Mrs. Trippe arrived on the Zepelin Hindenburg | from Europe today on their round- | the-world trip which began in Cali- fornia. a Pan-American clipper for Miami, Miss REE LEEF *CAPUDINE relieves HEADACHE quicker because its liquid... LSBURY'S PANCAKgg REAKFAST TOMOHROW ? Just add milk or water—stir=— and bake the finest pancakes Ttaly has been producing only 3| per cent of her gasoline needs. one remedy, Mussolini is bent on forc- ing the populace to use neither gaso- line nor even synthetic gasoline, but As | substitutes. Chief of these is alco- | hol. Italian law mercial motor fuels to contain at least 20 per cent home-produced alco- hol. There are even projects afoot to run cars with alcohol from Italy’s xcess wine supply. Italy has also turned to use of the “gasogene,” apparatus attached to the car MILBU CAPSUVU requires all com- | | PILLSBURY'S PANCAKE FLOUR ALSO PILLSBURY’'S BUCKWHEAT PANCAKE FLOUR i Doctors Say Best Plan [eo Is to Refin. at First Warning RN'S LES EVERY COMMON COLD ean be a dangerous cold! Too often these common colds are mot treated Ppromptly and turn into more serious ailments. ‘ Don't let eold d Take MILBURN'S CAPSULES, a saf wemedy L -p::illo;hlu :h treatment of colds. Mll.lalfl'; CAPSULES rel fever and relieve acl colds amazingly quick. start work 1o reduce loms of away. They psules curb nasty @ eold quickly and often stop colds in a few hours if taken as directed. 3-WAY TREATMENT FOR COLDS AND COUGNS 1. Relieve common eolds with MIL. Complete 2. Relieve IHAH.‘SE lelieve nasal congestion with KEYS NOSE DROPS Treatment $j-00 AT ALL SOOD DRUGEISTS THE 3 5S¢ Get a package of MIL- BURN'S CAPSULES now and start teking them at once. MILBURN'S CAPSULES ON SALE AT PEOPLES DRUG STORES AND OTHER GOOD DRUGQISTS Today he is pro- They were to leave today on | ‘DO IPDOTID DS ID DD ED DD IDDDOID DD PD D DID D DI DPD D¢ DD OPD DS OB OIDDOL 44 MILES TO FINE tion to court. “I'll take you,” officer. He carried Coon as a passenger in his car 44 miles to court, testified against him, heard him fined $15, then | PUEBLO, Colo., November 30 (#).— took him home again. Officer Leonard Hildreth -'ugged"| violation, but Coon lacked transporta- l CONCERT FOR DEAF volunteered the | Children Tell Pittsburgh Leader How Music Feels. PITTSBURGH (#).—Deaf children gave the director of the Pittsburgh Officer Hildreth is a member of Col- Symphony Orchestra a lesson in music. orado's “courtesy patrol.” | The children, students at De Paul PO DIODDOIODODOIOO>® Officer Furnishes Transportation - and Takes Violator Back. Institute, sat in the balcony at a| symphony concert and told Conductor | Antonio Modarelli how his music| “telt.” ; Then Modarelli was their guest at one of their own concerts at the school for the deaf, where they organized a 40-piece “rhythm” band and a 24- piece harmonica band - Coughs due colds often relieved wu': one swallow of Thoxine. Help protect slecp. Only 35¢, Guaranteed. THOXINE 12 AT 2OCL 0RO LOLOLOL SOSOSOR SRR ) A New Breakfast Happiness! D.G.S. ALL-PORK D. G. S. All-Pork Sausage Meat simply makes your mouth water. It's made from 100% all-pork under U. S. Gov- ernment supervision and is dependably fresh becduse it's rushed to our stores fresh, DAILY. 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