Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-05-08
Gas Ra+ions
Pain in Neck
For Drivers
Headache for Teachers
Who Issue Cards
BY PAUL MALD0N


ordinator's h e d quarters has
initiated a complete censorship
Of figures which would show
how much rationing is justified.
As far back as January the
IckeS office shut off usual weekly
regional figures by the bureau
Of mines of its own interior de-
partment.
But now il has requested the
American Petroleum Institute
10 abandon its weekly statistics,
such as published in this column
April u, showing gas stocks on
the eastern seaboard only three
twentieths below last year for
the week ending April II. That
is the last weekly figure you will
get. APP has acceded to the
request.
Neither the army nor navy
requested such censorship. The
armed forces obviously do not
consider the figures military in
formation. Nor has action been
suggested by Censor Price.
THE Ickes office says it de-
Il cided itself that Hitler might
get some comfort out of know
ing how much gas is on hand
in the East or elsewhere. 1t
might have added that the CO.
ordinator's office might get
some discomfort from publish
ing the figures after rationing
goes into effect.
Thus only such generalized
totals of oil reserve s-not
broken down as to regions or
types-is likely to be available
hereafter. and all arguments as
to how much rationing is justi-
fed must cease.
The Ickes office will merely
certify to defense transporta-
ton director Joseph Eastman
hereafter, the amount of fuel il
considers available for consump-
ton and Mr.. Eastman will tell
Leon Henderson how to ration il
out-and no one will be i'm a
position to say them nay.
THE rationing system is so
Il complex in itself. it will GER
tainly cause prematurely gray
hair among the school teachers
who will handle il as they are
handling sugar. Five types OF
cards will be issued.
Every motorist who has a reg
lstration certificate will get an
"A" card allowing 7 units for
the emergency period of six
weeks between May Is and July
/. How much each unit will
amount to in gallons will be de-
termined May 10. If a unit IS
to be only 3 gallons. as some
say. an "A" cardholder would
get only 81 gallons a week.
3D. cards will, like vitamins,
have several classifications.
"B-1" will get IL units, "B-2",
Is and Big, 10. You can get
a "B' card if you can prove you
need your car to go to and from
work or use il in your work and
cannot otherwise get around.
The distance will determine
whether you will be "B-1", "B-2"
or "B-3".
The fifth card will be "X'', for
unlimited supply 10 doctors.
nurses, ambulanceS. etc. Com
mercial vehicles. like buses or
delivery trucks will not need a
card and will get all they want.
This means the "A" cardhold-
ers are only going 10 get what
is left after the commercials
and the TX" and "B" boys gets
theirs. The government does
not guarantee any to an "A"
cardholder. as Mr.. Henderson
has officially pointed out.
The school teachers will act
as Judge and jury in each case.
Their ions are TO
be liberal in accepting motorists
claims, but il might be well for
you to bring along an aspirin
in case the lady has had a try
ing day in the classroom.
"A FTER July /, when a perma-
"A nent plan will go into effect,
the government will guarantee
you gas. Until then, also, the
filling station proprietor is not
required TO turn in any receipts
and, therefore, can give you as
much gas as he wants, if he
likes you. The only way he is
limited is that he will be able
TO get 50 per cent as much gas
as he normally received.
The regulations also say he
can give you any amount if
you drive up and show you are
engaged in IAN acute cmer-
gency' involving rescue work
or similar services.
But after July |, the pro-
prietor will have TO collect
coupons for the amount of gas
he sells you, and more orderly
administration is in prospect.
THIS program pushes Joseph
Il B. Eastman right up front
as the factotum of all transpor-
tation. Few people yet realize
the extent 10 which Mr.. Roose-
welt sheared the cigar of Mr..
Henderson and the wings of Mr..
Ickes in his executive order
giving Eastman broad transpor-
tation authority. HI