Evening star., 1942-05-25

today to a steady Tightening up in
rail, bus, plane and ship services,
with hard and fast priorities on
freight movement and almost in
evitable rationing Of passenger
space.
On Wednesday, the Ofice of De-
fense Transportation will make
spot check of freight loadings in
every station on the Nations rail-
roads. The data obtained will fur
nish the basic information enabling
o. D. T. to determine how efficiently
transportation facilities are being
utilized.
Rail Travel Checked.
A week-long check of railroad
passenger traffic in 100 key cities
will end Thursday night. laying
groundwork for space rationing.
Effective June l, no export goods
can clear United States ports or
even be moved into such ports with
out specific permission from spe-
cial Transportation Control Com
mittee representing the Army, Navy,
o. D. T. and the British Transport
Ministry.
The order is designed to prevent
congestion and delay such as that
which hampered overseas shipping
during the First World War.
Meanwhile, w. P. B. is carefully
studying proposals for strict control
Of wholesalers and retailers inver-
tories and specific limitations on
stocks Of all types Of merchandise
held for sale. Current heavy buying
by some is preventing others from
obtaining enough goods to meet the
needs of their communities, and the
Government intends to assure
equitable distribution.
Proposed remedy is an overall
dollar limitation on inventories.
Chemical Firms Aided.
Other developments Of interest to
business and industry:
Priorities:
The vital chemical war industries
are granted further priority as
sistance in obtaining maintenance
and repair materials by the terms Of
amendment No. to general ref
erence order P-89.
The amendment allows the chem
ical producers to use an A-1-C rating
to obtain 80 per cent Of his regular
supplies, and an AS for the re-
naming 10 per cent.
Another order affecting the chem
ical industry places arsenic under
complete ALLEGATION control.
All safety razors in the hands Of
manufacturers and distributors were
frozen by an order which reserves
available stocks for the Army and
Navy. Retailers stocks are not
affected
Electric utilities have been noti-
fled that w P. B. will no longer
authorize purchase in the open mar
ket of material for the extension of
services to housing projects.
Sales Curb Extended.
A general revision OF the order
regulating distribution of many types
of industrial machinery added dairy,
ee-grindjng and food slicing and
grinding machinery to the IA classes
in the original order. While retain
ing rigid control over acceptance of
orders and deliveries by manufac-
turers, distributors and others of
new, used and reconditioned ma
chinery the amended order permits
nYndnnfinn nf For
stock without authorization. 1t also
lists II specifically exempted types
of transaction These include seiZ-
ures upon default under conditional
sales, transfers in bankruptcy, mer-
gers, leases of plants, trade-ins and
shipments for repair.
Exports end imports:
A modification of restrictions on
exports of farm machinery and
equipment allows manufacturers
greater discretion In determining
the types of equipment to be ex-
ported. They are now authorized
to ship to foreign countries, except
Canada. and to United States ter
ritories and possessions. up to 112
per cent of the net shipping weight
of the total quantity sent to those
countries in 1910.
Control of imports of all known
commercial oils not previously under
such restriction was taken during
the week The oils were added to
the restricted list of general i'm
ports order MICS.
Bus Pool Ordered.
Four bus lines operating between
New York and Washington have
been ordered by the director of de-
fense transportation to pool their
services, stagger schedules, honor
each others tickets and eliminate
duplicating operations on certain
routes. The order is based upon a
voluntary plan submitted by the
operators at the request of the
director.
Deliveries of completed passenger
buses and trolley cars, and of bodies
designed to be mounted on chassis
for either, were placed under rigid
ALLEGATION control to assure their
reaching areas most in need of them.
Prices:
During the last week the Office of
Price Administration drove ahead
in its program to cap the rising cost
of living.
In the first action taken to roll
back the retail squeeze" o. P. A.
ordered the prices of picked sheep
skins reduced so that there would
be no need to raise the ceiling on
sheepskin leather - made from
picked sheepskin.
o. P. A. also outlined the procedure
by which a retailer might petition
for adjustment of an abnormally
low maximum price. But the
machinery for this form of relief,
o. P. A. warned. was intended for
use only in the most unusual circum-
stances.
Sales of armaments were exempt
ed from application of the price CELL
ings. o. P. A. also extended to July
the time by which sales and deliv-
cries to the War and Navy Depart
IL