Evening star., 1942-12-24
Oil Coupons
For Sd Period
Good Monday
Date Advanced, Due
To Cold Weutherin
Area, OPA Rules

uCl Oll CcIlS uIIltIS "bI6 du-
thorized today by the Office of
Price Administration to start
using their ration coupons for
the third heating period next
Monday instead of waiting until
the first week in January as
originally planned.
The OPA explained that continu-
alton "of abnormslly cold weather
throughout most of the IT Eastern
States" has made this action nee
essary The OPA said it was believed
it would enable oil dealers to meet
distribution problems which have
complicated the oil situation in
recent days.
The OPA, acting in the wake of
complaints from fuel oil distributors.
also appealed to consumers not to
order Oil if their tanks were more
than a quarter full. A number of
other ways in which consumers could
aid distributors in meeting delivery
schedules were also listed by the
OPA.
The agency announced that there
would be no change in the value of
fuel Oil ration coupons for the third
period. No mention was made of
the possibility of extending the date
for use of first-period coupons,
which expires at midnight tonight.
An OPA spokesman said there was
no prospect of an extension of the
deadline.
In advancing the date on which
period 3 coupons will be redeemable,
the OPA Cancelled a previous order
under which consumers were per-
mitted to go to their local boards
and exchange their third-period
coupons for rations negotiable dur
ing the current heating period.
The f1eXibility of the rationing
system" said Price Administrator
Leon Henderson, makes possible
the advancing of the date for which
period 3 coupons may be used, but
it does not allow for increase in the
value. That depends on the supply
Of oil and I have been advised by the
petroleum administrator for war
that current Eastern supplies are too
short to allow any increase in cou-
pom value at this time.
Cold Weather Continues.
Continuation of cold weather in
the East, with temperatures in
many cities now running we'll below
average, makes it necessary to ad-
vance the validity date of period 3
coupons in this area But the pos
sibility of abnormally cold weather
was anticipated when the fuel oil
rationing regulations were mapped
out and provision was made to en-
able us to prevent hardship in such
circumstances by advancing the re-
deemable date of the following
periods coupons.
I'm addition, representatives of
the petroleum industry throughout
the area have told us that the ad-
vanced redeemable date in the East
will assist them in scheduling their
retail deliveries and generally aid
them in meeting the distribution
problems, which have been compli-
Gated by the extremely cold
weather"
The coupons for the third heat
ing period are numbered "3" on
class l and class 2 coupon sheets.
The OPA action of today makes
these coupons valid throughout the
30-State rationed area, action hav-
ing been taken to advance the re-
deemable date in 13 MidWestern
States earlier this week. The value
of the coupons in the MidWestern
States was increased by 10 per cent
How to Help Oil Dealer.
In its appeal to consumers to aid
fuel oil distributors. the OPA listed
six special ways in which house
holders can help the harried oil
dealers. They were:
/. Write the serial number of your
fuel oil ration sheet on all your
coupons Immediately SO that the oil
truck drive will not have to wait at
your home while this is done.
2. If you are going to deposit
your coupon sheet with your dealer.
90 so Immediately. This is permit
ted by the OPA and will make it
easier for the dealer to schedule de-
liveries in advance.
3. Don't order fuel oil until your
tank-if it is a normal 275-gallon
tanks down to about one-quarter
full.
4. Do not exaggerate the imme-
diacy of your need for service
since dealers won't be able to handle
real emergency cases if they are
flooded with fictitious emergencies.
Don't Delay Truck Driver.
5. If you don't deposit your cou-
pom sheet with the dealer let him
know in writing how many gallons
(See FUEL OIL, Page AID