The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-04-18
. After Many
Years
Al last We Bet
On q Sure Thing
War VIII Be Tougher
Before We Win
Haven't Seen
Nothing Yet
BY q. T. Snort

Ickes. secretary of the interior,
few months ago to the effect
that the United states might
have 10 90 on gasoline rs-
ton. Tho smart boys hollered
their heads oft was Just an
other crazy idea of Honest"
Harold 70 get in the headlines.
Couldn't possibly happen in
these United States. Anybody
with any sense knew that this
country had gasoline and oil
resources sufficient to supply
the world.
The first jolt came q few
weeks ago when service sta
ton deliveries of gasoline were
cut 20 per cent in the Pacific
Northwest and a group of east
srn states. The smart lads
wouldn't believe IL until they
went 70 the gas station and
found that instead If a fun
tank they could get only so per
cent.
But that couldn't last the
American people just wouldn't
stand for il.
Yesterday another jolt
came csvorting over the
wires - gasoline allowance
was cut another 1914 per
cent. making the total cut
sSl per cent Of normal.
Today the smart boys who
hollered that It couldn't hap
pen here are not quite so sure.
They are wondering if per-
haps they didn't bet on the
wrong horse when they said the
secretary of the interior was
four-flushing when he first in
timated that we might ration
gasoline for civilian use in or
der to provide enough for the
tanks, trucks and sirpianes.
Those are the machines that
are going 10 have a part in de-
ternining who will sit at the
head Of the peace table and who
will come in with hat in hand
hoping for a verdict as favor
able as possible That issue
hasn't been settled yet.
How tragic-almost grue-
some-this gasoline situa-
tion IL will he emphasized
nv a look around the resi-
dence neighborhoods. Some
neighborhood gasoline sta
tons are being dismantied.
Others are closed and dec
GRATED with for rent and for
sale signs.
On top of the tragic present
is the evidence pointing To a
still further gasoline cut-well
be lucky if it doesn't 60 below
80 per cent.
The foregoing was inspired by
an optimistic friend who is sure
the war will be over before the
end of the summer. The Ger
mans are being beaten by the
Russians. The japanese have
shot their big guns, pulled their
big strategic attacks and are
now bewildered and facing
shortage OF essential materials.
There just isn't anything 10 it.
Everybody but the war
profiteers-there always are
n few would be happy "
that were true or n there
were any evidence 20 en-
courage the belief that the
war would come 10 a salts
factory conclusion by the
end Of 194s.
The American revolution was
not won by a nation in which
half the people treated II 81
side issue The civil war vas
not won by the haf-hearted
acquaintance of the supporters
Of the Union.
Great Britain has been able
to stay in the conflict only be-
cause the entire nation is COM
mitted TO an about effort to
defeat the forces of Hitler.
Japan, fighting on one side,
and China on the other. have
not carried on business and liv-
ing as usual" for more than
three years.
To guard against a shortage
n electric power in war indus
tines. Japan cut out all the cleo
tric advertising signs two years
ago and controlled domestic con-
sumption. And - or.
Quite q large number Of per-
sons in the United States never
wanted 10 get into this war.
Some Of them still think ",
could have stayed out. But the
=
come out depends on how seri-
ouslv we take il.
In having n give np some
Easoli Inc and tires vs
haven't seer nothing vet"
TINS % ore BOT tnst thus col
nr.n n gong n win
T@1i. e.