Evening star., 1942-05-19
IS Gasoline Rationine
Boards Will Handle
Exchange Of Cards
Eight Already Set Up;
Check on Motorists
Started by Steuort

washington RdSOllne TdllOIlllB
authorities today pressed the or
g. cation of zone rationing
boal> TO facilitate the handling
Of app "ations of motorists
seeking to >hange their ration
cards and to hasten the job of
checking on those whose cards
allow more gasoline than their
needs require.
The city will be organized into Is
zones, OF which already have been
set up. The others are expected TO
be ready for operation by the end of
the week, Leonard P Steuart, Dis
trict gas rationing head, said.
Mr.. Steuart said he is checking
"a lot of complaints-some of them
anonymous, apparently coming from
neighbor protesting against neigh
Dor. Most of the checking. he said.
will be done by paid inspector as
signed to each zone.
Every Zone damned.
Yesterday every zone was
"jammed," he said, with autoists
seeking to exchange x and B-3
cards. emitting the holders to the
highest gasoline allotments, for
cards carrying smaller allowances.
Mr.. Steuart attributed this rush
to change cards to a public mis-
understanding" rather than an in
tent to do wrong. Most people
thought, he said, that they were to
base their consumption estimates on
normal driving habits rather than
the bare requirements of business.
Mr.. Steuart described as new
ruling" the statement issued late
yesterday by Leon Henderson, o.
P. A. administrator, to the effect
that holders of B cards, If they can
save any of their allowance by eco
nomic usage, may use the saved gas
for pleasure purposes.
District rationing officials had said
earlier that gas received under B
cards could be used only to go to
and from work and that check-up
would be made to determine If vio-
lations of the rule were being made.
Gestapo Method Opposed.
Mr.. Steuart said today that this
Interpretation by himself and Whit
ney Leary, o. P. A. administrator
for the District, was correct at the
time and that Mr.. Henderson's state
ment changed the situation.
(The o. P. A., in announcements to
the press, has said all along, how
ever, that gas could be saved for
pleasure driving, by Beard holders)
The American Automobile Asso-
citation, meanwhile, issued state
ment that local rationing officials
should not resort to Gestapo meth
DDS" in attempting to enforce the
rationing program because such pro-
cedure would bring the whole prin-
ciple Of rationing into disrespect."
Reports that motorists are being
stopped on the highways by persons
checking on their gasoline cards in
dicate an extremely dangerous
trend" the A. A. A. said
Mr. Steuart, asked about the state
ment, said that Washington officials
have mo intention" of starting a
policing campaign that includes
stopping cars on the highways.
Will Enlarge Inspection Staffs.
"We1l have al we can do checking
up on complaints" he said, adding
that this checking process probably
will be done by going directly to the
home of the individual against
whom the complaint is directed
Stats of the zone inspectors will be
enlarged las needed" he said.
There have been "a few" requests
for supplemental gas rations from
persons like statesmen whose travels
extend farther than the average
worker. These, Mr.. Steuart said,
will be referred to the proper zone
and will be weighed carefully" be-
fore they are granted. When facili-
ties now contemplated are COM
pleted, he said, they should be ade-
quate to handle such applications
as they come in.
Persons with official Government
travel orders requiring the use of
their personally owned automobiles
are entitled to full gas tanks under
instructions issued last night by Mr.
Henderson. This, however, has been
the Interpretation of local officials
respecting this situation from the
beginning, Mr.. Steuart said.