42 SCIENCE REMAKING THE WORLD 



the ground in various parts of the world, but it is evi* 

 dent that it is not enough to go around. 



According to the estimate of the United States Geo- 

 logical Survey there is still underground in the United 

 States some six billion barrels of oil. This seems like 

 a lot, but we are burning over half a billion a year. Half 

 a billion goes into six billion twelve times which would 

 put the date of the practical exhaustion of American 

 oil fields in 1934 at the present rate. But the rate of 

 consumption is increasing. Between 1910 and 1921 the 

 consumption of crude oil in the United States arose 68 

 per cent., while the domestic production increased only 

 56 per cent. Therefore our importations increased 600 

 per cent, for the same period. Last year we had to im- 

 port more than 125,000,00x3 barrels of petroleum and we 

 will have to import more and more every year hereafter 

 if we can get it. 



What can take the place of gasolene for the motor? 

 There are two present possibilities: shale oil and alcohol. 

 Either will be more expensive and less satisfactory, 

 so the transition will bring about a new sociological 

 transformation. 



I have shown how naturally the distribution and dis- 

 tillation of petroleum led to the concentration of 

 great wealth in the hands of a few individuals. Many 

 of those who "struck it rich" in the early days spent 

 their money about as quickly as they got it on reckless 

 personal extravagance. This had only a temporary 

 effect on society and that altogether bad. But greater 

 wealth has come into the hands of some who have 

 spent it in carefully contrived means for public welfare. 



