Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-13

,Rationing Board No. 80 in the
BrightWood School at Georgia ave-
nue. and Quackenbos street NV.
that reads, please Close Door. Save
Heat" But the door couldn't be
closed yesterday because a long line
OF citizens stretched through the
doorway and into the corridor of
the rickety, abandoned schoolhouse.
Throughout the city it was like
that. Probably the worst place was
at Board No. r. at 458 Indiana ave-
nue. NV, where hundreds of people
stood in line on the street waiting
to take IN their problems with the
board. Some of them had to wait
two hours. There was considerable
muttering while they waited in the
cold. and many of them weren't
exactly in pleasant moods when they
finally made it to the counter.
About 100 of them had an idea
what it would be like, and they
lined up before the board opened.
There for Many Reasons.
There were all sorts of reasons
why they were there. A lot of them
came to pick up their fuel oil ra-
tlonlng coupons. Others wanted sup
Elementary gasoline rations because
their basic "A" book coupons had
been cut in value from four to three
gallons. Some wanted to apply for
replacement tires or for re-capping
certificates. Or they wanted sugar
ratloning books because they need
them now to get coffee.
lot of them were Just confused
They didn't understand something
about rationing.
There were people who had turned
IN their Oil rationing applications
Weeks-even months ago-and had
not yet received notification that
their coupons were ready. They
were running out of oil, and thew
wanted immediate action. In most
cares they got it, if they were willing
10 stand in line for a while.
Forced to Leave Home.
But reports were also drifting in
that persons who had run out of
Oil had not been able to get their
coupons. A woman called The Star
Yesterday and said she had been
forced to move into the home of a
friend because her home was cold
She had asked her board for her
coupons, but was told that thew
/ Weren'1 available, she reported.
OH dealers say that literally hun
dreds Of such cases-homes with
| lnVallds and small children that
are without heat-are being re-
ported to their Offices. If there are
no coupons available, there is MOTH
ing the oil dealers can do-legally.
Some of the more humanitarian
among the dealers, however. are
supplying oil for these emergencies
on their own responsibility.
AT Board No. 81, in the Petworth
Library at Georgia avenue and Up
shur street NV, the line of citi-
zens stretched out of the building
and along the sidewalk. All over,
board stats were harassed. tired,
struggling valiantly to keep abreast
| OF problem that threatened con-
oVoli0ly W ecp OuG Ol mana.
Board Office Underheated.
At Board No. 81. two days ago.
two members of the limited staff
were home. The place had been
so underheated that they had be-
come Ill.
Over many of the problems, the
boards had no jurisdiction. There
was the man who asked if he might
have enough gas to attend his
mothers funeral in place 100
miles away. His board said it was
sorry out unfortunately the OPA
had made no provisions for this
sort of emergency. The man didn't
argue. He was too tired and un-
! happy
Another woman told her board
she had a peculiar difficulty. She
owned a two-family home. both
units Of which were rented to ten
ants. One of the tenants controlled
the thermostat and insisted on keep
ing the heat up to rs degrees all
over the house. The landlady knew
that her allotment of oil would
quickly be exhausted if this con-
tinued. But her tenants said that
If she didn't provide enough heat
they would sue her. Her board
told her to deposit all of her cou-
pons with her oil company. If the
tenants complained about lack OF
heat, the matter could be taken
up by the rent control administrator
Many Confused.
Many oil consumers were still toe
confused to bring complaints te
their boards concerning possible in
accuracies in the allotments granted
them. The boards conceded. though
that these protests would come later
when people began running out Of
oil and couldn't get any more
One Government worker, CONVEX.
SAINT with the formula by which
oil rations are computed, said yes.
l. tardnv ho hod charked fho o11ot