Evening star., 1942-06-12
Discusses Gas Rationing
In Terms Of Human Practice.
To the Editor of The St

To he Editor of The Star
Funny how things go There's Bill
He's been reading The Star, same as I
have. on the new gas arrangements.
Tickled to death; thought he might not
get any gas after July l, or not enough
to amount to anything Says now he
can take the wife and himself for a
weekend outing occasionally to the
&hores and places like that, just like The
Star said last Sunday. Thinks the Ra-
tioning Board must have sized him up,
'unbeknownst," as Mr.. Average Man
and handed out what suits.
But with Joe it's different. He used
to live in one Of those busy industrial
centers up in Pennsylvania Wanted to
get out Of the city when he could. but
no noisy shore resort for him. though
they're all right if you like EN-. Had
no high pay. but. just like their thrifty
selves. he and his wife managed to buy
a little country home Take week ends
there and have a nice garden. Good
healthy place for the kids to play. and
grow, too. I saw him the other day.
Nothing so handy as the car he says,
not just for getting out there but for
taking stuff back and forth He was
figuring up-the new ration card will
get them back there once in a while,
only they can't keep up much of
garden.
It's Tom, however, I'm really thinking
about. He and his wife go up TO their
old outfit every year Toms no spring
chicken and he's trying to keep the old
house together, for some time" That's
a steady job. but it's paradise there, if
you love the real country and want to
get away from city life as if you were in
a wilderness.
But Tom says his eat-granddad
grand as he may have been, was Short
sighted, putting his home where he did
back there in the year 1920; if the old
folks then hac thought of Tom at all
they'd at least have located it within
what he calls Leon Henderson
radius of Washington. or within some
thing less than ten miles from every-
thing, including transportation and
"civilization.' but. then. if they had.
It's present purpose nearly so WE'LL l
remember now his wry grin when 1 said
why Tom. isn't there gas enough on
the card you're going to get to take YOU
up there?" Yes" he replied, land to
get back again, too. But it's not on the
right page of the book
Well, 1 wanted to know a little more
about that, so he showed me his figures;
said they were based on Is miles per
gallon. Now, let's see, that picture in
Wednesdays Star. Eight coupons, with
figure l on each. The l means use
these In July-August or they won't buy
you postage stamp to write home for
money for bus fare. Thirty-two gallons
In all on that page. That's 4S0 miles,
isn't it? And that's just exactly, almost,
how far Toms got to go. He thought he
was going up there for part of July.
Well" he says, "how will I get back?"
How about thu. No. 2 coupons?" oh!
those; you use those in September
October" so here's the dope he says.
Il can't make 1t in July, nor in August,
nor in any other month. But 1 can go
up in August and come back in Sep
TENDER, and without getting fined $4,000
either, like you do for five pounds of
sugar. Come to figure it out. I can
spend the first Of September there. or
the frst Of November. but not the first
Of July, nor Of August, nor Of October,