POLITICAL CONTROL OF PRODUCTION
The status of the political control of the world’s output of petroleum in 1917, as determined by the best data now available, is indicated in the [table] following.
The accompanying diagram ([Figure 1]) shows the proportion of the world’s production of petroleum contributed annually by each of the principal producing countries in each of the last ten years.
Table 2.—Political Control of the World’s Production of Petroleum in 1917
| Source of production | Quantity of production (barrels) | Percentage of total | Country exercising political control |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 335,315,601 | 66.17 | United States |
| Russia | 69,000,000 | 13.62 | Russia |
| Mexico | 55,292,770 | 10.91 | Mexico |
| Dutch East Indies | 12,928,955 | 2.55 | Holland |
| India | 8,078,843 | 1.59 | Great Britain |
| Persia | 6,856,063 | 1.36 | Persia |
| Galicia | 5,965,447 | 1.18 | Poland (?) |
| Japan and Formosa | 2,898,654 | 0.57 | Japan |
| Roumania | 2,681,870 | 0.55 | Roumania |
| Peru | 2,533,417 | 0.50 | Peru |
| Trinidad | 1,599,455 | 0.32 | Great Britain |
| Argentina | 1,144,737 | 0.23 | Argentina |
| Egypt | 1,008,750 | 0.20 | Great Britain |
| Germany | 995,764 | 0.20 | Germany |
| Canada | 205,332 | 0.04 | Great Britain |
| Venezuela | 127,743 | 0.03 | Venezuela |
| Italy | 50,334 | 0.01 | Italy |
| Cuba | 19,167 | ... | Cuba |
| 506,702,902 | 100.00 |
Fig. 1.—Proportion of the world’s output of petroleum contributed annually by each of the chief producing countries, 1908-1917.
Aside from the control exercised by Great Britain through its protectorate relation over the petroleum resources of Egypt, control of the petroleum resources of the various countries is mainly by virtue of state sovereignty. This political control is in proportion to the strength of the government in the country exercising it. Recent developments whereby the British government becomes the majority stockholder of a corporation controlling the oil resources of Persia, practically transfer the political control, as well as the commercial control, of Persian petroleum from Persia to England. Mexico’s recently attempted firm political control of her vast petroleum resources depends for its success upon her diplomatic ability in dealing with the stronger governments of England and the United States, whose nationals have acquired a commercial control that is threatened by Mexico’s new and decided nationalistic policy.