Evening star., 1941-08-05
Gasoline Sales
Drop Here After
Two 'B|ackouts'
lckes Satisfied
With Results of
Closures So Far

After two nights OF "blackouts"
of service stations, indications here
we're today that total daily sales
of gasoline already are slightly less
than they were before Sunday on a
24-hour basis.
A check of key stations today by
Harry H. Wainwright, research di-
rector of the Retail Gasoline Deal
ers, Inc, showed that one operator
sold 80 per cent less than normal
yesterday, three others 20 per cent
less than usual for a Monday,
another 10 per cent and four 10
per cent more.
Comprehensive adjustments to the
new schedule and its results will
not be available for possibly a week,
but the main question is expected to
/ be: Will the curtailment of con-
/ sumption be sufficient to avoid more
drastic steps?
Results Satisfy Ickes.
/ In calling for the nightly closings
Defense Petroleum Co-Ordinator
Ickes said that total saving of one
third must be made in gasoline con-
sumption in the District of Columbia
and the II States affected or COM
pulSory rationing will be necessary.
He did not say precisely what these
steps would be, but informed quar-
ters here predicted they would begin
with reduction of amounts each
service station can sell and extend,
if necessary, to distribution of
rationing cards to motorists.
General results of the closings so
far have been very satisfying" Mr..
Ickes declared last night. He said
there were some cases of non
compliance reported and that these
would be followed up.
Mr.. IckeS said the motoring public
had not yet realized the necessity
/ of reducing gasoline consumption,
and reported many cases in which
drivers did not cooperate with the
spirit Of this undertaking."
Little Effect on Jobs.
He said the restricted hours ap-
parently had little effect on en-,
ployment of filling station opera
tors. He added, however, the pro-
gram would cause savings in elec-
tricity and reduce wear and tear on
equipment.
A meeting of regional chairmen
of the conservation committees is
scheduled here next Monday, and
problems to be discussed are eX-
pected to include Interpretation of
the curfew regulations to take care
of situations that are revealed in
the first week of the blackout.
The Keystone Automobile Club
here released a statement today
through its manager, George E.
Keneipp, asserting that such in
terpretations should take into con-
sideration motorists stranded with
out fuel through no fault OF their
own.
Stabilized Prices Asked.
Mr.. Keneipp cited a case Sunday
night in which his club received Il
call from mother stranded in rural
Maryland with four small children.
The woman had taken the children
for an all-day outing and the au-
tomobileS gasoline gauge at the
time the machine stalled indicated
the tank was three-fourths full.
i Meanwhile, Price Administrator
Leon Henderson asked oil refinerS
to stabilize prices on Pennsylvania
grade neutral lubricants, the high
est type of lubricating oil refined
from Pennsylvania grade crude.
He requested that prices be based
on 33 cents a gallon for the domi-
nant grade and that current price
differentialS on the other grades of
neutralS be maintained.
In recent months refinery prices
have scared from about % cents
gallon to As cents and higher.