Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-05-14
Downey's Resolution
Hitting Congressional
X Cards Delayed
La FoIIette's Request
For Quorum Coll StoIIs
Senute Consideration


For Quorum Coll StuIIs
Senate Consideration
Senator Downey, Democrat, OF
California today asked the Senat,
to take up Immediately . resolution
designed to put the Senate on re-
cord as asking its members to waive
special rights in obtaining gasoline
under the rationing program.
Quick consideration was delayed
by the request OF Senator La Fol-
lette. Progressive, of Wisconsin fol
q quorum call. but Majority Leader
Barley previously told reporters
that he would speak in opposition to
the request.
The prospect of a controversy in
the Senate over legislators rights
followed an acrimonious session in
the House yesterday, in which some
members criticized and others de-
Tended members who obtained "X'
cards emitting them to I'LL their gas
tanks to the limit.
An incomplete check, however,
showed that there has been virtu-
ally no mail from constituents pro-
testing x cards for members of
Congress
Some suggested, however, that
the people have not had time to
formulate opinions and write to
Washington.
Four Registrars Busy.
At the special registration desks in
the Capitol rotunda set aside for
members of Congress, four registrars
were busy, but far from rushed,
taking care of applicants.
George w. Rawlings, public school
science instructor in charge of spe-
cial arrangements, said more than
400 members of Congress had regis
tered through this morning.
He said several members of Con-
greSs had returned x cards, and that
the proportion Of x cards to the
other categories may be lower"
than on previous days.
VIII Continue to Get Cards.
At the same time, however, Asst.
Bupt. OF Schools Lawson j. Can
trell. In charge of the registration,
said registrars will continue to issue
K cards to Congressman II they
certify that they use their cars all
or substantially all" for official bus
mess.
He said he felt that If any re-
quests for x cards were undeserved
1t was the result OF a "misunder-
standing" Of the rationing rules and
mot an attempt to get all the gas
wanted"
No protests or calls of any kind
had been received from members
Of Congress today, he said.
Foreign diplomats also were get
ting x cards today, registering at
= special desk set aside in the
protocol section Of the State Depart
ment.
While the row was being kicked
up over cards issued to members, it
was disclosed that a sizeable group
OF congressional secretaries also had
received x cards, as reports indi-
Gated that 10 per cent of the cards
issued on the first day of registra-
ton here were of this category.
~ Get X Cards.
Ralph w. Strawbridge, principal
Of Stuart Junior High School,
where q special room was set aside
for registration of Capitol employees,
said that about" A congressional
secretaries had received the cards.
More wanted them, he said, but
others were perfectly willing" to
accept A or s cards.
The card-holders, however, were
stoutly defended by House Majority
Leader Mccormack.
One thing is certain" he said.
The people want members of Con-
gress to take up personal matters
and do many things they call to the
attention of their Senator or Rep
resentative. Each member of Con-
gress Is elected to represent between
100000 and soc, 900 citizens and it
would be impossible for him to find
out their needs and give them proper
representation If his means of
transportation were sharply re-
stricted."
Those members holding x cards
also got solace late in the day from
Price Administrator Leon Hender-
son, in charge of the rationing pro-
gram, who issued statement de-
claring that members of Congress
or any other Federal or State en-
ploye-using private car to trans
act business with a Government
agency was on Official business.-
and hence entitled to an x supply
OF gasoline for such duty.
Appeals to Patriotism.
The gasoline regulations prescribe
that ofdcials can have X cards for
their private vehicles IF all or sub
stantially all of the use of" the
vehicles in question is for oficial
work.
Mr.. Henderson's statement was not
entirely clear as to whether business
done with the Government agencies
must represent "all or substantially
all" of the use to which the car was
put to entitle the operator to an X
card, but it was assumed to mean
that.
Mr.. Henderson also said that he
was relying on the good faith and
patriotism" of x card holders Ito see
to it that the privilege is not abused
for private use" He suggested that
any one who had obtained an x
card because of mistaken idea of
eligibility could return 1t and get
whatever was due.