Evening star., 1942-03-19
Gard Rafioniinq
Of Gas 10 Start
In Six Weeks
Little Will Be Allotted
For Non Essential
Use, Ickes Soys

a single week, Petroleum Co-or.
dinator Harold L. Ickes an
nounced today that gasoline
ration cards will be handed out
to motorists las soon as Mr.
Henderson can get around TO it,"
perhaps within six weeks.
Just how much a driver can put
in his gas tank will depend on his
priority. Mr. Ickes said. Even those
who drive purely for pleasure will
get some motor fuel, but he indicated
little will be allotted to the nom
essential motorist." whom he de-
fined as "the play boy on his way
to a night club"
The card rationing will replace
the system put into effect today by
the War Production Board, cutting
deliveries to filling stations by 20
per cent and limiting their opera
tions to l2-hour day and 72-heur
week. Mr. Ickes said the trouble
with this is that the filling station
men are expected to decide who de-
serves gasoline.
Tank Car Mark Set.
The big deficiency in stock petro-
leum mentioned by Mr.. Ickes COM
pares stocks on hand March IA with
those a week previously.
The slump in supply was appar-
emily due to tank ship sinkings and q
boost in consumption, because tank
car movements hit an all-time high
in the week ending March "A. Mr..
1ckes said they were 439 200 barrels
compared with 435.0s6 barrels the
previous week which also esta blished
a record
Rationing will apply only to the
Eastern States and Washington and
oregon, 1t was indicated A black
picture of conditions in New Eng
land was drawn by Mr.. Ickes, who
declared that not only petroleum,
but coal stocks are in critical condi.
ton today.
In Massachusetts, and Maine
there was talk of using wood as q
major fuel. he reported. His once
is in contact with the Maritime
Commission and the railroads TO
boost coal deliveries to New Eng.
land. but the transportation dim
Guilty is very distressing"
He revealed Gov. Spessard Hol.
land OF Florida has telephoned him
to intercede for 200 900 out-of-State
cars belonging to tourists In Flor
ida. but the petroleum co-ordinator
refused 10 lift gasoline restrictions
in that State. Mr.. Ickes suggested
that Eastern motorists may drive
home by way Of the Midwest, where
gasoline is unrestricted.
Vacation driving seems 10 WORRY
Mr.. Ickes little now. He said when
ration cards are issued an indi-
vidusl allotment cannot be saved
up over a long period for q distant
trip because that would be hoard
ing"
Price Administrator Henderson
had been working on the rationing
cards for two or three weeks when
he told Mr.. Ickes they would be
ready IN about six weeks, the CO.
ordinator declared.
whether they will deliver on that
have my doubts Mr.. Ickes COM
mented.
Concerning the District of Colurn.
bia, Mr.. Ickes recalled his orders
that park police arrest all exceeding
a 40-mile speed limit and again sug-
gested that big cities should end
cruising by taxicabs. He said taxi
cruising consumes so per cent Of the
gas used by cabs and can be ended
II city ofncials will set up taxi. stands.
Gas Prices Frozen.
Price Administrator Henderson
last night froze gasoline prices for
so days at the level prevailing last
Friday Most stations here were
selling regular gas for 17s cents
and high test for 1913 cents on that
date. .-f
Motorists willing to use enough
fuel doing so can probably fnd q
filling station open somewhere in
the city at almost any hour. even
on Sundays. despite the w. P. BIS
72-hour week order.
Most stations will do business
from I am. to 7 pm, and close
on the Sabbath. but a numbar
are taking the initiative in setting
up varied timetable. 80 r
Out on Rhode Island avenue NE,
for instance, a number of filing sta
ton owners have conferred infor-
mally and decided to keep open
Sundays. They believe this Is the
day when customers have time to
get cars washed, creased, etc. They
will be closed on various days of the
week-one on Monday. one on Tues
day, one on Wednesday. e..
Mr.. Ickes announced last night he
is pushing a program to help in
crease supplies here. With tanker
ships being sunk, he is urging the
oil industry to get petroleum east by
using more tank cars, pipe lines and
other transportation. 80
At the same time he handed the
drivers of pleasure vehicles one
more bottle Of bitter pills. 1t was
his recommendation that the oil
industry Immediately reduce the
quantity of scarce chemicals used
as "additives" in auto lubricatipg
oils and greases. He said this must
be done so armed forces and war
industries may have high-grade
lubricants. -
Some filling station operators In
the Capital are calling their new
hours victory hours" Many Of
them were doing 24-hour business
To meet the new situation, one near
Highway Bridge is now scheduled
to be open from noon till midnight,
in an effort to keep the cream Of
its business.
This particular station has such
. large quota of gasoline, even with
a 20 per cent cut, that it is worried
about selling 1t all. Most stations
are in the opposite position. -
A number Of stations will adopt
8 to hours, instead of to I.
One chain Of A stations, however,
will standardize its hours, from I
d. m. to 7 p. m, closing on Sun
days. This lops four hours Oh the
daily operations Of some In tia
chain.