The Washington herald., 1918-08-29
WATCH WILDE
PUT ON USE OF
AUTOSSUNDAY
Motor Clubs Will Take
Comparative Census
Of Traffic.
TEST OF FUEL SAVING
If Appeal Proves Insufi-
cient Compulsion Will
Follow.
TEST OF FUEL SAVING

Organized, hastily by telegraph,
there will be a fairly adequate
check on the observance of mo
torless Sundays next Sabbath,
through automobile clubs and
other automotive associations TAX
ing census of the motor traffic at
the various large traffic centers in
the region affected.
The Fuel Administration has
been able to obtain the immediate
cooperation of many organiza-
tions east of the Mississippi River,
the territory where motoring will
be abandoned Sundays till further
notice, for a quick report on how
well the appeal for conservation of
gasoline in this manner is OBJ
served.
VIII Keep Check.
At certain selected points on main
highways and important motor traf-
hc functions. men will be stationed
Saturday to take q census OF the
number Of motor vehicles. The same
census will be made Sunday The
.desresse. ihdicatinxS ,spproxinzafely,
the degree Of compliance with Dr..
Garhelds appeal win be reported
early in the week.
II this decrease Is not suficient to
indicate that patriotic response will
meet the need for quick economy to
maintain proper shipments of gaso-
line to the armies at the front.
compulsory regulation win be estab-
lished and enforced as asserted in
the original publication of the appeal.
New Method In Order.
But this compulsory order, II It
should be found necessary. Is not
likely to take the form Of one motor
less day a week, it was intimated at
the Fuel Administration yesterday
afternoon. The difficulties OF prevent
ing a violation of an order prohibit
ing Sunday motoring. with all the at
tendant difficulties Of necessary and
complicated exceptions. would indi-
cate a simpler and perhaps more dras-
tic course.
What this course might be could
not be learned specifically. at the Fuel
Administration, the officials taking
the attitude that 1t probably would
not be necessary. expressing . high
degree Of confidence that the Amer
lean people would make willing and
complete response to the need, based
merely on patriotic appeal.
But 1t was emphasized that badly
needed conservation could be obtain
ed quickly by mandate, IL exigency
should require. through some such
measures as adopted in England; that
is. by a priority scheme carried out
through gasoline ration cards, linz
ting each individuals CONSUMPTION to-
an amount previously determined ON
the basis Of how essential his need
Of gasoline might be for the winning
Of the war. .t-
Expected to Succeed.
That this was contemplated by the
Fuel Administration was denied; It
merely was cited as one means of
accomplishing a conservation where
other means might fail. But the ad-
ministration does not expect the ap-
peal to fail; nor does II intend to
fail IN the Conservation, by any
means; that was made unquestion.
able. - - 80.
Showing how much might be saved
oy very little denial by motorists
one day week, the Fuel Admins
tration announced that the conserya-
tion should amount Of 100000 gal
Ions Of gasoline each Sunday. This
estimate was based on the census of
4,0OO,0oe pleasure cars in the terri
tory affected. allowing a customary
consumption of two gallons to euch
car. This moderate allowance. which
would mean only about twenty-five
miles car, was considered small
enough to compensate for the fact
that many OF the cars would not be
used anyway, as most Sunday driv-
ing is considerably more than twenty
i've miles.
II is understood that the voiun-
tary abstention from motoring Sum
days win be necessary at least seven
weeks. virtually the remainder of the
motoring season.