Evening star., 1942-12-15
Fuel Dealers Warned
hof 10 Err on Value
Of Ration Coupons
Steuort Reveals Report
Of Mistake in SuIes
For Nos. ! and Z

3 Fuel oil and kerosene dealers were
cautioned today by l.. P. Steuart
OPA rationing officer for the Dis
trict, against misinterpretation of
the period numbers on fuel rationing
coupons.
Mr.. Steuart said a report was
made to him yesterday that some
truck drivers had been collecting
coupons according to the numbers
printed on them, thinking that a
No. coupon was good for one gal
Ion and a No. 2 coupon for two
gallons. Actually, he pointed out,
each is good for 10 gallons and the
consumers in these instances were
deprived of coupon valuation total
ling II gallons.
Coupon sheets are divided into two
classiflcations-class l for the small
or average user and class 2 for the
heavy user. The coupons are num-
bered according to the five heating
periods.
Value Undecided.
Coupons numbered l and 2 on
the class sheet have been given a
value Of 10 gallons. The value which
will be given the No. 3, 4 and 5 cou-
pons will be announced later by the
OPA. Mr.. Steuart explained that
they, too, may be valued at 10 gall
Ions, or, If the weather is severer
or milder than anticipated. may be
increased or lowered in value. Sup
ply also will influence this factor,
he said.
Class 2 sheet coupons, those al
lotted the heavy users, now have
. value of 100 gallons each.
In addition to these units, or in
definite, value coupons, Mr.. Steuart
reminded, both class l and class
coupon sheets contain definite value
coupons. which are valid for the
exact quantity Of fuel oil desig-
mated.
Weekly Reports Planned.
Another OPA source announced
that in the future weekly consump-
ton reports will be issued to show
consumers the maximum amount OF
their ration they should have con-
sumed to date. A similar plan based
on daily figures already has been
launched by The Star, with the
percentage appearing each day In
the weather box on the upper left
hand corner OF the front page.
The OPA explained that, since its
reports would be based on a normal
winter, the consumer may expect
his consumption to fluctuate from
time to time from the weekly per-
centage figure. A period of abnor-
NAL cold. for instance, may result
In use of fuel oil in excess of the
maximum, while mild weather would
result in less consumption than
the allowable maximum.
Should Guard Reserve.
Actually" the OPA announce
ment said. IAN individuals rate OF
use for any extended length of time
should be good deal less than the
maximum estimates. For, If you
are using your oil at the maximum
rate, you are burning every gallon
of your allotment for the particular
pCilOO LILO ilICdllo yOu WAA llOl
have any reserve supply to meet
your needs in case of unusually cold
spells-and due to the seriousness
of the fuel oil supply situation it
is improbable that the ration will
be increased at such times. AS a
result, home owners should save as
much Of their ration as possible for
use later this winter.
LAS the heating year-October /,
1912, to September 30. 1943-has
been divided into five heating pc
riods, as designated by the num-
bers l through S on the coupons,
the weekly consumption reports will
gauge consumption for the pre-
vailing heating period rather than
on the basis of the total years
ration.
TT is important that home owners
budget their consumption on the
basis of the periods ration, If you
exhaust your allotment for any one
period you will not be able to re-
plenish your supply until the be-
ginning of the next one"