Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-11-17
Gas Ration Cut
To Gallons !.
Reported0. K d
Household Fuel Oil
Supply Unaffected
By New PIon
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
A reduction in the value OF
basic gasoline ration coupons
from four gallons to three gal
Ions in the II Eastern States has
been approved at least tenta-r
lively by the Office of Price ADJ
ministration, an informed Cow
eminent source said today.
The reduction is expected to be
announced shortly, along with addi-
tional measures to save fuel oil, he
said. There was no indication, how
ever, of curtailing household rations
of fuel oil for heating below the
present 65-degree standard, and
OPA officials have expressed reluc-
lance to do this. r
The cut in gasoline rations will
apply only to the Atlantic Coast
States, whose supply is affected by
acute shortages of transportation.
and is not expected to affect the
four-gallon basic ration to be in
stituted December l in the rest OF
the country under the Nationwide
mileage rationing program, he said.
Postponement Drive Gains. w
Meanwhile, congressional drive !.
TO postpone the Nationwide ration
ing of gasoline was reported by itss
hackers toby to have gained
strength in influential quarters. IA
Without disclosing the names ct
more than score of members Of
Congress he said had assured him
of support, Representative johnson,
Democrat, of Oklahoma declared
there was "a splendid chance" for
an early hearing on resolution
he introduced yesterday to set up
a three-man board to study the
entire petroleum situation.
Mr.. Johnson's resolution auto
matically would forestall Nation
wide application of gasoline ration
ing for three months to give the
board chance to complete survey.
1t was referred to the House Bank
ing and Currency Committee, sew
eral members of which have been
outspokenly opposed to extension Of
rationing into areas having plentl-
full supplies.
The board proposed by Mr.. john
son would be similar to the Baruch
Committee which recently completed
study of the rubber situation.
It's three members, to be appointed
by the President, would represent
agriculture, industry and the pc
troleum business.
II have received considerably more
support from the members than
1 anticipated" the Oklahoman said.
Ever since announcement was
made that gasoline rationing would
be extended from the Eastern
States to the Nation, Western and
Midwestern legislators, along with
some from the South, have protested
almost daily in the House that the
move would unnecessarily incon-
venience residents of those areas.
They argued, however, that ration
ing would put many oil companies
out of business and would seriously
curtail petroleum production at
time when it is needed most.
Rationing Called Unwise.
Representative Arends, Republican.
of Illinois, told the House yesterday
he believed fair consideration" had
not been given the problem.
This question is more far-reach-
ing than some people think" Mr..
Arends said, land am pleased that
other members of this House are
raising their voices"
Nationwide rationing, said Repre-
sentative Bennett, Republican, OF
Missouri, would be neither wise nor
necessary - because we have no
shortage of gasoline"
at is time" suggested Mr.. Bennett.
that the peoples representatives in
Congress should tell some bureau-
Gratis that we have war to win and
that it can't be done by drying up
sources of revenue and destroying
the morale of the people"
Another Oklahoman, Represents
alive Wickersham, Democrat, has
introduced resolution providing
that gasoline rationing shall not be
extended at any time to States or
areas in which an adequate supply
exists.
Mr. Wickersham said drivers have
voluntarily complied with the 35-
mile-an-hour speed limit for the
conservation of rubber and there
(See GASOLINE, Page A-2) a.