Mexico retains only 4 per cent. of her production. In 1920 alone she exported 153 million barrels out of the 159 million produced, keeping for home consumption only 6 million barrels. Seventy-eight per cent. of her production went to the United States. Every year Great Britain takes from Mexico more than 40 million gallons of illuminating oil, benzine and fuel oil. Mexico literally saves the world. Without her there would be a universal shortage of petroleum.[23] FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 16: "During the last nine years," wrote a New York editor on the occasion of the last revolution, "there has not been a single disturbance in Mexico in which Americans have not taken part by lending their aid to the party opposed to the government.... Americans have supported Madero against Diaz, Huerta against Madero, Carranza against Huerta, Villa and Sapeta against Carranza."] [Footnote 17: Secretary of State for the Interior, an ardent partisan of intervention. Mr. Fall is a believer in the slogan "_Standard Oil_ must prevail."] [Footnote 18: Evidence of Edward Doheny before Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States Senate.] [Footnote 19: Since elevated to the peerage under the title of Lord Cowdray.] [Footnote 20: According to official statistics of July 2, 1920, the Mexican petroleum industry represents a value of 300 million Mexican dollars. Million dollars. Wells bored and in production 100 Value of ground on which they are situated 50 Pipe-lines, railways and rolling-stock 50 Refineries, buildings and machinery 50 Various properties, chiefly British 50 ] [Footnote 21: Cp. chap. ii, _Oil: Its Origin, Discovery, and History_.] [Footnote 22: July 1920.] [Footnote 23: Each Mexican well produced as much, in 1920, as 537 American wells.] CHAPTER XI A STATE-SUBSIDIZED COMPANY: THE _ANGLO-PERSIAN_ Although the United States, in spite of the civil wars they let loose there, could never drive Pearson out of Mexico, they triumphed over him in Central America and the chief States of South America by the mere force of their prestige. During 1912 and 1913 Pearson obtained concessions in Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. That would have given him a monopoly of the supply of oil to all shipping passing through the Panama Canal. Washington placed its veto on these concessions and caused them to be annulled in the name of the Monroe Doctrine. No South American republic dared to resist.