New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-09-04

Gasoline Card System for
Motorists May Be Next
Fuel Saving Step
Motorists Light Lamps To-day 1858
p. Nj.
By c. E. T. Scharps

1t has been suggested that it would
have been better to have put in a
gasolene card system for motorists, IN
stead of making "gasless Sunday"
but those who think that way do not
realize how much time would have
been wasted putting the scheme into
operation. They say that if the draft
Of the eighteen to forty-five class can
be handled on two weeks notice, why
not the issuing of cards to 100000
motorists cast of the Mississippi?
They overlook the fact that the
draft system has been in operation for
plan, work that in the case of motor
lists would have to be done entirely
fresh by new group. BY the time the
card system was in full force the au-
tumn would be nearly over and the
saving that might be expected through
laying off cars on Sundays would be
out Of the question.
Not that l do not expect to see a
card system in operation soon anyway.
1t looks to be the logical way to re-
strict gasolene consumption to a defn-
tie amount II it is necessary to save
gasolene-and it seems to be, even
though production of crude is appar-
emily on the increase-the card sys-
tenn will have to be used the country
over. This will work a hardship on
the man whose automobile is a gas
eater, but it will be fine for the fellow
who owns a light weight. economical
machine The small car owner, who
works all week and wants to drive on
Sundays will be able to crafty his
wishes and those Of his family by
means of the card system. But until
that goes through we may expect to
see "gasless Sundays" for at least
another month.
A very curious viewpoint it was, that
of the motoring public, in taking
as unexpected the very general compli-
ance of the automobile owners with
the "gasless Sunday" request. AS
if there were any reason to praise
motorists for doing their plain duty, or
for being surprised that some of them
didn't do it! Going out for pleasure
on prohibited day is more conspic-
uous than failing to keep your W. S. S.
pledge, or not buying your rigntful
quota of Liberty bonds, or looking the
other way when they pass the hat for
the Red Cross, the Y M. c. A., the
Jewish War Relief, the Salvation Army,
the H. of c., or any other worth while
thing. But not every person i'll the
country, motoring or non-motoring,
has done his full duty in these re-
spects, so why be surprised that some
folks failed to meet the test when it
came to laying up their cars?
Most of the automobiles I saw on
Sunday, up along the Grand Concourse,
were from out of town. Massachusetts,
Connecticut, Pennsylvania and New
Jersey numbers were prominent. A
few clectrics, doctors gasolene cars,
automobiles containing soldiers or
sailors-in some cases for camoufage,
believe-and some out and out pleas
ure seekers, made up the total, about
10 per cent of normal traffic.
A doctor I know went down on Long
Island to call on some patients, and
although he knew he was on proper
business he was "booed" so much he
decided he wouldn't try it another
Sunday. This is the wrong angle, and
just what, I assume, the government
doesn't want. This doctor ought to
display a sign on his car and go right
ahead about his business
Incidentally, there were some road
side critics who resented Labor Day
driving in much the same way as the
infringers upon "gasless Sunday