Evening star., 1942-12-09
OPA Question-Answer Series
Explains Fuel Oil Rutioninq
Point -by-Point Summary of System
Intended to Clarity Procedure
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The following questions and
answers intended to clarity specific
points in the fuel oil rationing pro-
gram, in effect in 80 Eastern and
Middle Western States, were issued
today by the Office of Price Ad-
ministration:
@. When will I receive my fuel
oil heating ration?
A. The ration coupon sheets are
now being used by local boards;
you should receive yours within a,
week.
@. What will I get in the way of
coupons?
A. If you are the average house
holder you will receive one or more
class l coupon sheets; larger users
such as apartment houses, CONNER
cial buildings, etc.-will be given
class 2 coupon sheets.
Each class l sheet originally con-
tains 100 coupons divided equally
among the five heating periods
20 to period. Those for each pc
riod are numbered-l, 2, 3, etc. These
are known as indefinite value"
coupons, since the number of gallons
each is good for may differ from
heating period to heating period
For the first two periods these
coupons have been given a value of
10 gallons each. In addition, there
are 30 change making" coupons,
each having a definite value printed
on it. These definite value"
coupons permit you to make
change" II your delivery Of oil is
an odd number of gallons. Glass q
coupon sheets are identical, except
that the value of the coupons Is 10
times that OF class coupons.
@. You say class sheets "orig-
inally" contain 100 indefinite value
coupons. Does this mean mine may
have less? -.
A. Yes. Your sheets will be 'tai-
lored" when you receive them-zthat
is, coupons will be removed by your
local board so that those you re-
ceive represent your total ration,
less the inventory Of fuel oil that
you reported on hand in your ap-
plication. If your ration works out
1900 gallons. for example. and you
had 400 gallons in your tank, your
net" ration would be 300 gallons
and coupons would be removed from
your sheets to bring you down to
this figure.
@. I have been issued class l
sheets. How will 1 know how much
my ration is?
A. Count the "indefinite value"
coupons on the sheet or sheets you
receive and multiply the total by 10
gallons. Then add the so gallons
represented by the change-making
Cor definite valueD coupons. This
gives you the amount of your basic
ration. However, the unit, or gal
lonage, value of the coupons have
been determined only for the first
and second heating period. If the
present value. 10 gallons, is later
changed it will likewise change the
value Of the remaining portion of
your total ration. The exact amount
of your allotment for the first and
second heating periods may be COM
puted by counting each indefinite
value" coupon for the periods as 10
gallons (those numbered 81" and
"2") and adding 20 gallons 40 per
cent of the "change-making cou-
ponsD.
@. Are rations for cooking, light
ing and other uses also issued on
class l and class 2 sheets?
A. No. These rations are allowed
on class 3, 4, S or 6 coupon sheets,
depending upon the amount OF the
ration.
@. Will the coupon sheets issued
for heating purposes-that is, the
class l and class 2 coupons-State
how many gallons have been al
lotted?
A. No. Glass l coupon has a
value of 10 gallons for periods l
and 2. A class 2 coupon is there
fore worth 100 gallons for periods
/ and 2.
@. How will know the unit value
for later heating periods?
A. These will be announced from
time to time by OPA.
@. What purpose do the heating
periods serve?
A. They permit flexibility in
changing the unit value of the cou-
pons on the basis of variations in
fuel oil supplies and weather con-
ditions.
@. Why has it taken so long for
me to receive fuel oil coupons?
A. The delay is due to the ex-
tremely large number of sheets it
was necessary to print as we'll as
the time required by the local board
to process the fuel oil application
forms. The fuel oil shortage is so
acute that extreme care must be
used in granting a ration.
@. What Is meant by coupon
credit"
A. This procedure was established
in order to permit you to buy oil
while the rations were being de-
termined and distributed. When you
receive your ration you must turn
over to the dealer coupons equiva-
lent tn gallonage value to your pur-
chases since October l. You may
purchase ION credit" until Decem-
Der 10.
q. What do do il find when
I receive my coupon sheets that my
purchases since October l exceed
my ration for period i?
4. Period purchases in excess