Evening star., 1942-05-17
Vacation Trade
To Be Hit Hard
ByWarCurbs
Effects of Gasoline
Rotioning But DimIy
Realized Yet
BY FRANK MacMILLEN,
Wide World Business Writer.

AAsAA, Way Ao. AiC III ot
summer in modern American his
tory with large areas Of the coun-
try almost wholly without gasoline
for pleasure purposes will bring
business disturbances which have
as vet been but dimly realized.
Skilled business observers, ques-
toned today, appeared agreed the
country had not yet grasped the
full implications of a gasoline
restricted summer for country
whose vacations have been built
around the automobile
With both tires and motor fuel
coming to be regarded as national
rather than personal assets, trans
portation experts here said they
considered inevitable wide disloca-
tions in the summer vacation busi-
ness.
These troubles born of the war,
they said. appeared destined to
spread to an astounding number of
enterprises from the gasoline dealer,
through beach, hotel and resort
proprietors down to the lowliest
vendor Of ice cream cones and soft
drinks, providing they depend on
vacationers for their livelihood.
You can write them off" one
shrewd economic expert here said of
the many business enterprises
whose successor even continued
existence-depends on auto-borne
customers.
Many Areas TO Benefit.
At the same time. this observer
was hopeful Of the prospects of
business located near large centers
of population and having adequate
transportation facilities to bring
their customers in.
With the automobile largely out
as source of transportation in
East and Northeast coast areas,
this authority thought a minor
boom for the near-urban resorts
was a foregone conclusion.
He also predicted many city
amusement enterprises. from mo-
ton pictures and indoor swimming
pools to night clubs and horse rae
ing. would benefit from the flow Of
dollars which normally is carried
from the cities to the resort regions.
His predictions appeared to be
reinforced by clear indication from
the Once Of Defense Transportation
that vacation travel by rail and
bus would be strictly subordinated
to needs Of the armed forces and by
the requisitioning of half Of the
domestic airline planes for war use.
The United States News said IN
its current issue: '
principal fact to be faced by
American vacationists is that there
are not enough wheels on rails or
rubber to take them from one place
to another.
Lines Already Burdened.
The Nations transport system Is
severely taxed already and in the
months ahead more and more troops
Will have to be moved about the
country: more and more military
supplies shifted from production
centers to shipping points and Army
camps"
Some Of the enterprises which one
observer predicted would be ad-
versely affected by the vacation
famine included pinball machines
and juke boxes, dance bands, sport
fishing boats, row-boat and canoe
travel. riding academies, shooting
galleries, hot dog stands, golf courses.
resort and roadside taverns, special
excursion trains on railroads, fishing
tackle sales and resort dance halls.
Experts said they found 1t almost
Impossible to make any dollar esti-
mate Of the effect Of curtailed travel
on the vacation business. both be-
cause OF the huge number of indi-
vidual enterprises involved and be-
cause the United States census fig
ures on hotels cover only those
operated the year around.
But that the business ran into the
billions, several experts agreed.
Another uncertain factor. OBJ.
servers here said, was how far the
gasoline rationtng might spread, and
how soon the rationing of space on
trains and buses might be found
necessary.
So far. 1t was pointed out, gaso-
line rationing was confined to the
East Coast and part of the Pacific
slope. though there was growing
talk OF Nation wide restriction on
gasoline use which might or might
not, come before the current vaca-
ton season ended.
AS for rail and bus travel, the
prevalent guess appeared to be that
1t might be invoked before the peak
OF the vacation rush was reached.
This usually comes in the latter part
of August.