AMERICA'S OIL BAN

Waikato Independent, Volume XL, Issue 3764, 30 September 1940, Page 7

AMERICA'S OIL BAN

HELP TO GREAT BRITAIN BUILDING UP OUR STOCKS President Roosevelt's action in banning the export of aviation petrol from the United States is not likely to affe£t this country seriously. But it must be a blow to the Axis Powers, writes a correspondent of the "Sunday Times." The American ban is strictly neutral in its completeness and lack of discrimination. In practice it resembles the "cash and carry" policy in that only one side is likely to notice its effect. Great Britain obtains more than 90 per cent of her supplies of aviation petrol from five main sources —none of them in the United States. They are: the Nethelands West and Netherlands East Indies, Venezuela, Iran, and Iraq. While we hold command of the seas these sources cannot be jeopardised. On the other hand Japan obtained something like 75 per cent of her aviation petrol from the U.SA. and much of the rest from the Netherlands East Indies —now allied to us. Italy obtained about 50 per cent of her petrol from the U.S.A. before the war. There is a strong probability that Germany has gained a large quantity of American petrol through Spain since the war began. Russia had increased her American imports recently. Now all these supplies will be cut off to our advantage. By her action the United States v vill be able to build up vast stocks of fuel for defence purposes, for her present requirements are far below the available supplies. The action must increase the value of our attacks on German and Italian fuel dumps and refining plants. Germany, in particular,

has attempted to become as nearly self-sufficient as possible by the setting up of low-temperature and high - temperature carbonisation plants for the manufacture of synthetic fuels. The success of these plants is proved by an analysis of fuel from German bombers shot down over Great Britain. The fuel is invariably of a high quality— Bß octane—although the lubricating oil used is relatively poor. Our policy of attacking German fuel plants and stores night after night is known to be exceedingly successful in reducing the stocks, in spite of the vast quantities of fuel captured in Holland' and France. Its continuance must seriously reduce the enemy's supplies.