Evening star., 1942-10-11
American Habits Are Changed
By Gasoline Rationing System
Henderson Says "A" Book Holders Are Not
Using Up All the Fuel They
Are Entitled To
By Marquis ". Childs.

tioning boards In the II Eastern States,
Henderson estimates that 150,0000O0
miles of tire wear are being saved every
day. Private passenger car driving has
fallen off nearly go per cent This, ac-
cording to Henderson's Office, tallies with
recent checks made at toll bridges and
highway points.
The rationing system to be applied
throughout the country will be approx
imately the same as that now in effect
in the East. An important addition will
be the requirement that all motorists
must have their tires checked every 60
days to make sure they are not being
needlessly worn through improper align
ment lack of air or for any other cause.
1t is possible that drivers will be re-
quired to show an inspection certificate
before they will be allowed to buy gaso-
| line. That, of course, is the penalty the
Government can apply-observe the
rules or do without gas
Gaslcss Sundays Suggested.
While walking has not been made
compulsory, nevertheless the pattern of
habit is being changed. Gone are those
casual carefree days when you thought
nothing of driving 40 miles for dinner
or $50 miles for a week end. Now,
particularly on an ration, you think
carefully before you take the car out
of the garage.
When a hostess invites people for
dinner nowadays she tries, if she lives
any distance from her friends, to ask
people who can come together And
there is likely to be no little telephoning
as to who has the most gas and can
therefore bring the company. Women
combine in one car to do their market
ing, arranging their schedule to fit the
schedule of their husbands car pool.
Families with an A rat:on-4 gallons
a Week-must hoard their gas for the
kind of errands that are always cropping
up. Going to the doctors, meeting
guest at the bus line on a bad night,
last-minute emergency shopping, these
are the essentials for which gas must
be saved Then with good luck there
may be enough left over to visit friends
or relatives on Saturday or Sunday. Note
that this does not allow for driving to
and from work.
There have been some within the adj
mlnlStratlon who have urged an end to
all pleasure and Sunday driving. They
favor a return to the motorless Sundays
OF the last war. Henderson has taken
the. opposite point of view. arguing that
j If families stay within their ration they
! should be allowed. on an A book at any
rate to use the Surplus for the kind of
driving that means relaxation.
Farther Cuts Possible.
Henderson frankly believes in upset.
ting peoples habits as little as possible.
Fle is not of the sacrifice for sacrifices
sake school. Not long ago he success
fully resisted the efforts of Petroleum
Co-ordinator Harold L. Ickes, who Incl
dentaly would like to get control of
all activity related to oil and gasoline,
to cut down the value of the coupons
from four to three and a half gallons.
Henderson himself has an A book and
when the small family pleasure boat
broke down on Chesapeake Bay recently
Mrs. Henderson had to ask for a sup
Elemental ration of four gallons to make
1t possible to 60 to Washington for men
to repair the boat.
1t is possible, of course, that the ra.
ton may be reduced all down the line.
| Ilis could be done quickly by reducing
the value of the coupons. Henderson
and others, both before and after the
BsFuch report, have repeatedly stressed
the critical nature of the rubber shortage.
Three months before the Baruch in
oulrv the Truman committee pointed to
the imperative need for gasoline ration.
ing to conserve tires.
I cannot overemphasize the danger we
face in our diminishing rubber supply.
particularly that supply that you have in
your tires" Henderson said just after
the Paruch report Too many of us
have been saying too long: oh, I've got
another 5000 or 1000 miles in my tires.
Inc way I drive thatll last until we
set synthetic tires
Let me tell you that if you have TO-
GOO miles in your tires that you have no
assurance that it will last until you get
synthetic tires. You have no assurance
because no one can tell you with the
certainty required when you will get
synthetic tires-and don't believe any
statement to the contrary"
Following the Baruch report, Hender-
son appealed to motorists outside the ra-
TONED area to cut down their driving and
conserve their rubber until Nationwide
rationing could be instituted. He said
then that unnecessary driving" was
using enough rubber every day to recap
100000 tires.
Setting up national rationing of a..
OG0,00G cars is huge task that could not
pe zone overnight. Sixty million books
of gasoline rationing coupons are now
being printed. Into these books will 60
el,0Oc,000 gummed sheets for preserva-
ton of the coupons as gas stations re-
ceive them from motorists. In addition,
there must be printed and distributed
60,00O000 application forms and about
100,000,000 audit-control FORMS
Printed BY Special Arransement With tke st.
| Louis Post-Dispatch.