Evening star., 1942-05-13
Conqressmen
to an x card because Of his position
as Government employe.
Teachers Shy From Arguments.
Continued From First Page.)

to an x card because Of his position
as a Government employe.
Teachers Shy From Arguments.
An 0. P. A. spokesman said this
afternoon that the teachers who
went to Capitol Hill yesterday to
register Congressman were in
structed to issue cards on the basis
of the statements made by the
legislators.
"The teachers said, Who are we
to argue with a Congressman who
swears he uses his automobile en-
tirely, or for the most part, on OIL
cial business?'" the spokesman COM
mented.
Mr.. Henderson's statement came
on the heels of brisk controversy
in Congress during which many
House members defended issuance
of the x cards to lawmakers and
Senator Downey, Democrat, of Cali
fornia announced that he would ask
the Senate tomorrow to adopt q
resolution waving "any special
rights" to give them unlimited gaso-
line.
Some Senators expressed concern
about possible repercussions from
the voters back home, but Repre-
sentative Faddis, Democrat, OF
Pennsylvania said he had mo apol-
ogies" for taking one Of the "X"
cards for unlimited gasoline so he
may go home and see constituents.
Business had slowed to stand
still at the special registration tables
set up in the rotunda of the Capitol
to serve gasoline ration cards to
Senators and Representatives.
Many Sign x Cards.
Many lawmakers applied yester-
day for unlimited purchase cards
by stating that their automobiles
were used almost exclusively on
official business I've got an x
card and I have no apologies to
make for it. I'm going to have
something to say about it on the
floor of the House" Representative
Faddis said.
I'm not yet ready to admit that
any bureaucrat downtown or any
newspaper, for that matter" Mr..
Faddis said, has any authority to
tell a Congressman what his duties
are or how he should conduct them.
1T is part of Congressman's duty
to go back home from time to time
and talk with the man on the street
corner, in the shop and behind the
plow, and it is part of his duty to
visit Army camps and see how the
war effort is progressing, and he Is
entitled to the gasoline to do it"
"Need Alone" Says Downey.
Senator Downey showed newspa-
permen copy of the resolution he
plans to introduce tomorrow. 1t
stated that need, and need alone"
is the only just basis of rationing
and that "the privileged exemption
of Government officials from restric-
tions applying to the people is vio-
lation of democratic principle"
Now, therefore," the resolution
concluded, "be it understood as the
sense of the Senate that the mem
bers Of this body shall collectively
and individually waive any special
rights, perquisiteS, or exemptions
they may be accorded under the
terms of any rationing order, and
shall consider themselves bound by
honor to the acceptance of the COM
mon rule"
Senator Downey does not keep
car in Washington and walks to and
from his Office. He frequently ex-
pounds the healthful benefits Of
walking.
Matter for Individual"
Representative Myers, Democrat,
of Pennsylvania expressed the opir1-
ion it was "a matter for each in
dividual" Congressman to decide,
but added he was being registered in
Philadelphia for an "a" GARDEN
titling him to the minimum of three
gallons week.
Representative Rich, Republican,
of Pennsylvania said Congressman
should be very careful of using gas
oline for anything that is not official
business"
I'VE have no more right to use
gasoline promiscuously for joy-riding
than any other individual" Repre-
sentatice Rich continued, land we
ought to give every consideration
and thought to the things we are
doing with our cars, to be sure that
it is official business.
when I registered yesterday I
asked for the same kind of card the
other Congressman were getting.
The girl said the others we're receiv-