Evening star., 1941-06-25
3-Mi||ion Gallon
In Gas Asked
District, U. S. and
Public Called on
In Volunteer Plan

we'll as the public are to be brought
into the voluntary program for
saving gasoline, adopted yesterday
by the newly created District of
Columbia Petroleum Conservation
Committee in the hope of prevent-U
ing any need for drastic compulsory
Hn
The committee is calling on all
District and Federal officers having
charge of motor transport to adopt
measures indicated for feet users Of
gasoline to bring Government
vehicle operators as well as the
public into line.
Created recently at the instance
of Interior Secretary Ickes, oil adj,
ministrator, due to the impending
oil shortage in East Coast areas
caused by transfer of so tankers tot
Britain, the committee has set eli
goal of saving about 5000 900 gallons
of gas in the District each month";
Means 2096 Average Saving. MI
Members of the Board of Conn
missloners were expected today to
indorse the program, listing spe-
cific advice as to how each segment
of the motoring world here might
cooperate, which was adopted and
published late yesterday by Mai
Beverly c. Snow, assistant engineer
commissioner, head of the conser-
vation committee. h'
The 100000 gallon month
gasoline saving would represent an
average saving of about 20 per cent
by Washington's 1888 registered
motor vehicles, but a greater
measure of cooperation is expected
from the individual car owner and
motor boat owners. Car owners are
asked to save 29 per cent of the
gas they now Use and motorboat ,
owners to save so per cent. '
Advice as to how vehicle and boat
owners and others can effect savings
is to be carried to the public BY
press releases to newspapers and
radio broadcaSts and by use of post
erS. Operators of service stations
and garages are to be enlisted to
advise car owners how to make their
machines work more efficiently and
store customers and consumers
generally are to be urged to help by
making least possible demands for
deliveries.
Voluntary Until II Fails.
Adopting the slogan Make Four
Gallons Do What Five Did Before"
the committee made clear the pro-
gram was voluntary and that its
success would depend upon wide
spread public cooperation. But 1t
warned that failure might result in
adoption of compulsory restrictive
measures.
Throughout the year" the COM
mlttee said in describing the situa-
ton, "a tanker leaves a Gulf Coast
port approximately every 100 min.
uteS for the Atlantic Coast area.
The average tanker can carry a load
of about 100000 gallons or the
equivalent of about six train loads.
Because of this steady stream of
tankers normally in operation, the
petroleum products stored in this
region are kept at level of about
one months supply.
Now, because of the British loss
OF shipping, so tankers are being
transferred to a so-called shuttle
service by which British boats will
be able to load with petroleum prod
ucts at points nearer to Britain than
the Caribbean or Gulf Coast ports.
This means that the 26O boats we
normally need in Gulf to Atlantic
service are being reduced to 2l0, or
loss of one-fifth." II.
Specific Advice Given. H
The advice given pleasure car
owners follows: Ja
Avoid the racing of motors, cut
off motor while waiting for friends.
avoid racing up to red lights. reduce
speeds, use first and second gears
as little as possible, avoid unneces-.
sary use of your utomobile-donf
drive just for the ride. maintain
even speeds, avoid rapid accelera-h
ton and rapid deceleration. plan.
your driving carefully, avoid conf
gested roads; check carburetor and
ignition frequently, check wheel and
brake clearances, maintain proper
tire pressure. m
Car owners also were urged to
be Good Neighbors" and offer rides
to friends to and from work. the
theater and like trips, to avoid use
OF several cars when one would do.
The committee also suggested use
of mass transportation facilities.
where possible, instead of private
cars. .iH
Urged to Garry Packages. 81
How the store customers and
consumer may aid the program was
listed as follows: llE
Garry small packages home in.
stead of having them delivered by
truck; notify stores of times when
deliveries can be received, so as to
avoid unnecessary return trips; avoid
having many articles sent out when
you expect to keep only one or two.
try to avoid unnecessary return of
articles; when calling for fuel and
other supplies, try to give advance
notice to permit efficient routing Of
trucks, avoid night calls whenever
possible, since these mean long
trips; announce on bus or street,
car your stop as soon as possible!r
Similar advices were given to bus.
truck, and taxi operators and as To
motorboat owners the COMMITTEES
said, Reduce length and number
OF cruises, avoid racing and speed
ing" n
Operators of gas stations and
garages were asked to avoid I'M.
necessary spilling of gasoline and
oil while serving cars and to aid ia
the educational program by adj
vising car owners as to the best
ways of conserving fuel. M