Evening star., 1942-03-13
Budgeting Mileage
Seen as Sole Hope 10
Keep Car Going
Leaders Of Industry
Paint Dark Picture in
Urging Thrifty Use
BY Wide World News.

BY Wide World News.
DETROIT, March 13.-Surest
thing ahead of the American motor
ist Is that the situation respecting
the use of privately-owlled passen-
ger automobiles is going to become
q great deal worse before mid
summer.
For this you may take the word
Of the automobile manufacturers
who no longer make automobiles,
the tiremakers who now make tires
only for military vehicles and the
oil refiners who don't know how
much longer they may supply fuel
in unrestricted quantities for the
average automobile operator.
Early in the present emergency
these experts urged the greatest pos
sible care OF tires, sparkplugs, ig-
milton system, brakes and other
functional parts as essential to pro-
longing the life of the motor We
hicle. They come now-about a
month after car production was
halted-to the point where they feel
1mpelled to warn all passenger car
owners that only "budgeting" of
mileage can offer any hope for con-
tlnued, even necessary, car use.
See Dark Picture.
The industry authorities know
fairly we'll how many automobiles
are available, including the used We
hicles In dealers names; they know
that for many millions of the cars
currently in use there are no tire re-
placements; they know that used
cars can be put under a rationing
program; they know that prospects
for obtaining new tires for repos-
seSSed vehicles are none too good,
and they know, finally, that limita-
tions on the use of gasoline are be-
coming daily more imminent.
The manufacturers and others
volunteering expert advice concern
ing the use of motor vehicles dis
claim any desire to frighten automo-
bile owners. They assert at the same
time that the average motorist does
not appear yet to realize what the
complete cessation of new-car pro-
duction and of tire manufacture for
civilian purposes mean.
No cars or tires will be made for
civilian uses this year; prospects for
l943 are no better according to the
trade experts.
Most Of the car builders and many
OF the tire company officials say
there has been much wishful think
Ing concerning synthetic rubber. The
volume of it that may be produced
In 1943 will add little, if any, to the
Nations stockpile; consumption for
military needs from the present
stock is more than likely to be great
er than the combined output of syn
thetic and guayule shrub rubber.
Trouble With Synthetics.
incidentally. in past use of syn
thetic the tiremakers have found it
advisable to mix in with a certain
amount Of natural rubber, although
they say this soon may be unneces-
ooA ~ Aioo oSCil Soolo llldG
many's use OF 100 per cent synthetic
for tires difficulties have been en-
countered In extreme temperatures.
Urging motorists to have their
tires "X-rayed" to determine the
mileage potentials and to budget"
car use accordingly, the car builders
and the tire company officials en-
phasize that the mileage of a set of
tires has to be measured solely by
the condition Of the poorest one in
use.
These experts point out, too, that
arbitrary limitation of passenger car
use is much easier to effectuate than
most motorists realize. It would be
accomplished not by telling the mo-
torist he could use his car only on
certain days or occasions each week.
but by requiring him to buy his gas
oline as he is going to buy his sugar
with a ratiOninp book