Firing Line Guest: Robin Hood

the United States attempt to adopt a self-sufficient energy policy? The hopes of expanded trade that appear to reduce the balance-of-payments deficit; the belief that the world is moving toward a new era of international cooperation; the fears that the alternative plan of developing synthetic fuels constitutes an environmental disaster— these are the widely shared illusions of the energy crisis.

For our part, we think it is more than coincidental that the USSR has taken such a sudden interest in the energy posture of the West, and has offered to share its energy treasures with any nation willing to provide the capital equipment and talent necessary to develop her vast potential. We think it is more than coincidental that these overtures are being made at this critical juncture, when we must decide, without delay, which route we are to take. In our opinion, if we decide to follow the route that leads to the oil and gas fields in Siberia, the Middle East, and North Africa, our days of economic growth are numbered. Once we commit significant amounts of talent and capital to these options, we will have lost timing so critical for developing our own alternate energy strategy. According to our calculations, it will take about as long to develop the gas fields in Siberia, to increase the oil production in the Middle East and North Africa, and to construct the enormous fleets necessary to transport these vital commodities, as it will take to devise and implement a synthetic-fuel strategy at home.

JE

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Johannes Eff

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the United States attempt to adopt a self-sufficient energy policy? The hopes of expanded trade that appear to reduce the balance-of-payments deficit; the belief that the world is moving toward a new era of international cooperation; the fears that the alternative plan of developing synthetic fuels constitutes an environmental disaster— these are the widely shared illusions of the energy crisis.

For our part, we think it is more than coincidental that the USSR has taken such a sudden interest in the energy posture of the West, and has offered to share its energy treasures with any nation willing to provide the capital equipment and talent necessary to develop her vast potential. We think it is more than coincidental that these overtures are being made at this critical juncture, when we must decide, without delay, which route we are to take. In our opinion, if we decide to follow the route that leads to the oil and gas fields in Siberia, the Middle East, and North Africa, our days of economic growth are numbered. Once we commit significant amounts of talent and capital to these options, we will have lost timing so critical for developing our own alternate energy strategy. According to our calculations, it will take about as long to develop the gas fields in Siberia, to increase the oil production in the Middle East and North Africa, and to construct the enormous fleets necessary to transport these vital commodities, as it will take to devise and implement a synthetic-fuel strategy at home.