Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-01-30
Lille Man 4
In Gas Trade
Forced to Quit
No Tires and DwindIing
Car Work 10 Blame
BY wESTBROOK PEGLER

II
and thanks for past patron
age because he is going out OF
business at the end of the week.
He said the gasoline and oil
business Just about paid his rent
and the help. while the tires and
accessories gave him his living.
Now. already. some Of the
people are laying up their cars
or using them so sparingly that
they consume hardly any fuel
and oil. so he has laid of the
boys and is winding things up.
Anyway, Joe's Simple but
deadly estimate Of his situation
shows him that starting right
now, or even two weeks ago,
with no tires 10 sell, he is
through
He isn't multiplying himself
by some Score-by-inningS statis-
tic representing all the other
guys named Joe who run gas
and service stations throughout
the country and the drivers who
deliver the fuel in the big trucks
and the office help way hack
-yoRder m the system nv which
fuel oil. tires and all take shape
from raw materials and travel
TO the service stations
II makes no never-rind 70
him that tho advertising agen-
cieS which handled the COPY for
his goods are laying off help
and that in the newspaper shops.
with the decline Of such Image
and revenue. there will be COR
responding declines in the me-
chanical and advertising and
editorial STATS.
TT ISN'T that hp is selfish or
Intentionally Indifferent
II is merely that he is just
Joe. an individual. who has
always assumed that these big.
formlcSs. SoullcSs powers of COM
mcrce and industry were as
reliable as the solar system
Joe Gross. age 40, married,
with TWO kids A little home and
n mortgage.
Joe isn't soldier stun NJ the
present stage Of the war. az his
age and with his dependents. so
he is gong 10 take ono NJ those
government courses and become
a mechanic because the country
around HIM Is crowded with
plants in which they are begin
ming 10 make war things
They are enlarglng the vac
uum cleaner factory down the
line, but not 10 increase their
vacuum cleaner capacity.
Old, cold stacks which didn't
give a cigaret'S worth Of smoke
for years and years are hot
around the clock and AZ night
the interiors arc bright and men
arc working AT machines
Joe is no part Of a maChlniSt.
for all his years around service
station. hut he knows the an
atomy NJ tho ordinary automo-
bile engine and is handy enough
with wrench. 50 he figures he
can learn 70 he a maChlnlSt.
Anyway. that IS tho obvious
thing 10 Try and he might be
pretty good AZ that
What else would he do Be-
come a headwalter AZ the Wall
dorf. with his how S-trlCks per-
Sonality and those rough and
CrcaSe-staIned hands. or study
for tho opera with that newsboy
voice.
The gas company may try 70
find an op'imlSt 10 take over the
spot and struggle along hut it
IS a game that no man can win.
Joe has il figured out righ,
No tires. no margin 10 I've on
and the longer no tires the
fewer the cars IN action and the
smaller the volume of sales 81
fuel and oil.
t.Fen t1P parking LOT goes.
Who is gong TO park what on
, no tires?
60 PROBABLY the gas COM
~ pany will upreot the pumps
and the owner Of the real estate
Will have his place back on his
hands when the lease expires
and not even good for a vege-
table patch with all that gravel
and oil Saturation.
But the taxes will grind on
Just the same and when they
have ground Just so long the
owner will give II back 10 the In
dianS. and Joe will he working at
a lathe in some brass plant turn
ing out thousands Of some little
things for = rife. gun or shell
and probably earning nearly as
ttNitCh vNaA ont via