-THE WAY OF LEAST RESISTANCE.
But at last a favourable opportunity appeared on the horizon. At the moment when France was deprived of the necessary coal by the tardy restoration of her mines, the inadequacy of the British supplies, and the of many, kindly nature offered vast oil fields in Algeria, Morocco and Madagascar, from which to make good the deficiency, and to ensure the running of railways, steamers and looms. France turned to her business men and said, " Give me this oil." They replied, " Impossible. We have neither prospectors nor technical experts. To conduct the researches in Auvergne we had to employ Americans, and then Rumanians and Galicians. We have not enough tankers ; our fleet is absurd in both numbers and tonnage. We should need to obtain centrifugal pumps, to construct reservoirs, to lay pipe lines ; and our engineering industry has not the plant for the manufacture of these things." " Then organise companies quickly, build factories, put yourselves in a position to manufacture immediately what you lack." " Impossible. For if we must have this plant in order to obtain liquid fuel, we must have fuel to manufacture the plant, and we have not enough. We are enclosed in a vicious circle." " What then ? " " Only one solution remains. We must hand over our oil-producing lands to the foreigner, wait until he consents to exploit them, and humbly beg him to be good enough to sell us, at his own price, the fuel obtained from our territory. We are at his mercy, for if we showed any intention of developing our resources we should derive no appreciable benefit for two years, and Britain could deprive us of fuel, not to-morrow, but at once."
That is how the business men argue. And one sees what it costs a country to permit its captains of industry to take shelter behind protective tariffs. Like the upas tree their shadow casts a mortal spell.
Fortunately, the oil magnates exaggerate as usual. If the Shell-Royal Dutch group threatens to cut off supplies, the Standard Oil asks nothing better than to provide them.
By playing off the one against the other and making use of their rivalry, by giving way a little first to one, then to the other, it may be possible to ensure the replenishment of stocks from day to day, to gain the time necessary for building up the requisite organisation, to develop the nation's reserves, and finally to establish an oil industry which is indispensable for the security and independence of the country.
To this end it is necessary and sufficient for French business men and statesmen to show as much boldness, tenacity and energy as their British colleagues. They have only to follow the masterly lesson given to America.
The field remains open, and Britain knows it. Therefore, she has decided to act without delay, before the public is informed ; and knowing the value of the fleeting moment, and of the opportunity which does not return, she has done everything possible to draw France into her camp,— and for the time being has succeeded.