Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-05-30
President May Act
To Ease Threatened
Oil Shortage in East
Luxury Riders Face
Possibility Of Limitation;
Problem One of Delivery
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
A threatened oil shortage in the
East, hub Of defense production,
caused deep concern today in Gov
eminent quarters and some officials
indicated President Roosevelt soon
may take definite remedial steps to
remove any menace to the prepared
ness effort.
Secretary of the Interior Ickes
yesterday suggested "gasless Sum-
days" a measure employed in the
World War, as one means to con-
serve the vital fuel.
Whether the President will call
on the public voluntarily to curtail
the luxury" use of gasoline was not
certain. He already has warned
that restriction of oil consumption
to essential uses" is a distinct pos
sibility," and he recently urged Con-
gress to facilitate construction of
oil pipe lines from the deep South
to the East by authorizing acquisi-
ton Of rights-o by eminent
domain.
Autos Greater in Number.
America has almost 100000
motor vehicles with the largest con-
centration in the area facing the
potential fuel emergency. The num-
Der of such vehicles has increased
by 100000 in the last year.
While an oil shortage in the East
would inconvenience millions OF au-
tomobile owners, the most serious
effect would be impairment OF pro-
duction in industries using oil for
fuel. Many key power plants in the
area generate electricity by burn
ing oil Many thousand homes use
oil for heating.
The difficulty of gasoline deliv-
cry and the increased demand al
ready have been reflected by in
creases in prices. Figures on file in
the Office of Production Manage
ment show the average price in so
representative cities throughout the
Nation, including State and Federal
taxes, rose from 1882 cents gal
lon on April to 1903 May l. On
January l the average price was
1907.
Stocks of gasoline on the Eastern
Coast dropped from 22,500,000 bar
rels on March 81, 1910, to 81 900 900
barrels March 81. l94l, the last
month on which figures are avail
able. The Bureau of Mines reported
476,000-barrel decrease during
March in total stocks of all oils.
The Nationwide total demand for
all oils rose from 1925, 900 barrels
in February to 1929 900 in March.
Secretary Ickes emphasized there
Is no threatened emergency in the
Nations ability to produce and re-
fine oil, but the problem is in the
facilities to deliver the fuel to points
of consumption.
He described oil shipment by rail-
road tankers as unfeasible and sug-
gested priorities for materials to
build more tanker ships and pipe
lines.
Leon Henderson, Federal price
administrator, told the Senate Ag-
riculture Committee yesterday that
recent increases in gasoline prices
were being investigated and that
price ceilings for petroleum products
might be established.
In the face of senatorial protests
of socialism" and illegal author
ity," MI. Henderson contended that
the administratio had broad au-
thority to fix maximum prices. and
was determined to use it unless
Congress expressly ordered other
wise.
Seeks to Avoid Imitation.
Mr.. Henderson testified that CELL
ings would be fixed ON everything
from steel to farm products If these
prices got out of line" The object,
he explained, was Ito avoid dis
astrous imitation through price spiral
ing"
On another supply front yesterday, |
the Office of Production Manage |
ment acted to assure an adequate
steel supply for defense and essential
civilian needs. should a threatened
shortage of the metal develop. A
formal order was issued, setting up a
system Of preference ratings In fllllng
the requirements of steel consumers. |
In practice, this is expected to mean
that no steel will be available for
non essential purposes until all other
needs have been met. The o. P. M.
declined to speculate what civilian
uses might be most affected, but it
was thought that golf clubs, chill
dren's toys, metal furniture and SIM
liar items might come under the