Evening star., 1942-12-12
Henderson Defends
Method Of Rationino
In Fuel Oil Program
OPA Chief Says Plan
Prevented Million Homes
Getting inadequate Supply
BY ALFRED TOOMBS,

Price Administrator Henderson
yesterday defended the method used
to compute fuel oil rations and said
that If his organization had used
the alternative of straight per-
centage cut in oil from last years
consumption "a million households
would be below what it takes to
maintain health and decency."
He predicted that when all ration
coupons are distributed and the
necessary adjustments of errors
made that the fuel oil rationing pro-
grams will be accepted as fair"
The OPA was criticized by the
Truman Committee for the method
used in rationing oil to householders,
but Mr.. Henderson told newspaper
men If he had it to do again, he
would handle 1t the same way.
Worked Before Acting.
''We didn't choose a complicated
plan without a lot of sweating and
doubts on our own part" Mr.. Hen
derson said. I'VE chose it because
of the depth of the cut. A tre-
mendous group laced the threat of
hardship and danger to their
health"
He explained that most persons
who criticized the present method
Of computing Oil rations suggested
that it would have been more SEN
sible if each Oil user were allowed a
certain percentage of last years con-
sumption instead.
IF you took straight cut, about
so per cent of the consumers would
be all right. But 20 per cent would
get too much oil and 80 per cent
would get too little. And those who
got too little would get way too
little. That would mean a million
householders would be below what
1t takes to maintain health and
decency. Another million would be
going to their local boards for spe-
cial treatment. Meanwhile, 800 900
would have gotten too much oil"
THAT wouldn't even be rough
Justice, ne dQQeQ.
Mr.. Henderson declared that "I
am damn proud Of this job" and
said the only thing he would change,
If he had it to do again, would be to
increase the number of workers to
handle the job More than 100000
volunteers helped process the ap-
plcations, while Mr.. Henderson in
dicated that a million could have
been used.
Cites Example.
Mr.. Henderson cited an example
of what would have happened under
a straight percentage cut. Suppose,
he said, that there were two homes,
pretty much alike, standing side by
side.
The owner Of one home had in
sulated his dwelling and had taken
other steps to conserve fuel, Last
year he had used 1000 gallons of oil
His neighbor, however. had been
extrGvagant in his use of oil and had
con-umed 1000 gallons.
If the Government had decreed
that the consumption of oil was to
be cut a fat one third on a per-
certaee basis, the careful house,
holder would have been allowed only
662 gallonS-while his careless neigh
bor would have gotten twice as
much.
Therefore. it was decided to use
the heat loss" formula. which takes
into account the floor space, outside
temperature. etc. Under this meth
Cd, Mr.. Henderson said, "the greatest
cut is made in the case of the least
efficient consumer. the minimum cut
Is made in the requirements of the
most efficient user"
Mr.. Henderson was asked why his
organization hadn't started plan
ming for fuel oil rationing sooner.
He said the War Production Board
cid not decide on the necessity for
the program until September IT,
This gave OPA very short
time" to get the program laid out.
he said, pointing out that it couldn't
be put off because of the approach
Of winter.
At this point questioner asked.
well, what makes Congress so mad
at you?'
Lack OF Politeness."
Mr.. Henderson laughed with the
rest OF the room. twisted in his chair,
then grinned. Some part Of it, no
doubt, is my lack of politeness.'
"They say you should never get
80 busy that you can't be polite" he
went on, but I've got low boiling
point and I've had lot of fame
applied to me"
Earlier yesterday. Republican mem
bers Of the House Banking Commit
tee, which handles rationing legis-
lation, served notice that an effort
would be made in the next Congress
to curb Henderson's powers.
Representative Wolcott Republi-
can, a committee member. con-
tended that Mr. Henderson was
using powers which the OPA chief
knew Congress wouldn't give him if
he asked for them"
hI w UlIuIG tOiu lSEtOl lciS llS
would propose legislation to set up
an appeal board to which appeals
from OPA regulations could be
taken. The board would be COM
posed of representatives of labor, in
dustry, agriculture and finance.
Discussing other OPA matters,
Mr., Henderson said that the coffee
rationing program was working out
we'll. Not single complaint had
been received that consumers
weren't able to get coffee in re-
turn for ration coupons. He pre-
dicted that meat rationing would
not go into effect until all the
problems surrounding it had been
ironed out.
Mr.. Henderson exhibited charts
to newspapermen to show how
prices of various commodities had
risen before price control and how
they had been held down since price
ceilings were established,