Evening star., 1941-08-03
1000 Gas Stations
In D. {. Area Ready
To Obey 'Curfew'
City Heads Urge Full
Cooperation; Iekes Plan
lrks New Workers

More than 1000 retail gasoline
station operators in the District and
nearby Maryland and Virginia will
lock their feul pumps at o'clock to-
night, when the night ban on gaso-
line sales, affecting about 100000
service stations along the Eastern
Seaboard, goes into effect.
1t was made clear last night that
the stations which are complying
with Petroleum Co-ordinator Ickes'
request for a pm.-to-7 am. black
out" seven days week may con-
tinue to make repairs and do other
work on automobiles and sell mer-
chandise other than motor fuel
during those hours.
John w. Frey, director of market
ing for the Office of Oil o-ordinator
said stations would be permitted to
remain open for such work and also
could continue selling fuel to COM
mercial vehicles, including trucks
and taxis.
Rush at Many Stations.
In many seaboard areas, the As
sociated Press reported, gasoline
stations experienced squirt in gaso-
line sales last night as motorists
rushed to get gas tanks filled before
the curfew becomes effective In
many cases motorists on weekend
trips lugged big cans to carry re-
serve supplies.
This was the first popular reac-
tion to Secretary Ickes request,
made in an effort to conserve sup
plies and counteract the effect of
shortage of tanker ships.
New Jersey was planning to re-
woke licenses if stations did not
comply with the request. However,
300 of the States $4,000 stations
were designated for emergency
service. In New York a legislative
investigation of the closing was
urged by an Assemblyman who as
serted the State stood to lose $20.-
000, 900 in tax revenue
In Queens, one of New York City's
boroughs. residents were advised to
ignore the curfew by Borough
President George U. Harvey. He
contended the plan did not con-
serve gasoline, would injure small
businessmen and create unemploy-
ment.
Another protest came from the
Gasoline Station and Parking At
tendants Union GA. F. L., whose
officers announced that so unions
had offered aid in the protest
against possible loss of jobs.
Ickes Makes Statement.
Operators of the service stations
were told by Mr.. Ickes that they
are now on the battle line of
democracy"
The battle of the Atlantic is now
being fought with OIL" he declared
in a statement, "and will be won
by oil. 1t has finally reached into
American garages and gasoline
tanks"
Mr.. Ickes' aides, emphasizing the
cooperative attitude of the oil in
dustry, said requests had been
received from gasoline dealers as
sociations outside the curfew region
requesting that the proclamation for
night closing be expanded to en-
brace their areas of operation. The
identity or locale of these dealers
was not made public.
In his statement Mr.. Ickes said:
Closing filling stations at night
is the least that we can do now. IF
this does not save enough gasoline,
we necessarily must devise addi-
tional measures to cut down pur-
chases at least one-third."
Cooperation Sought Here.
The District Commissioners, seek
ing 100 per cent local cooperation
in the program, issued a proclama-
ton late yesterday calling on gaso-
line dealers ito cooperate volun-
tarily and intellectually" and
(See GASOLINE. Page A.120