Evening star., 1942-06-28

make the ration 90 Is far as pos
sible.''
Two-thirds Above Minimum.
Mr.. Henderson issued the warning
because OF the apparent impression
gained by many motorists, who read
of the new plan, that 1t meant
liberalization in the amount Of gas
oline to be rationed.
THE exact opposite is true" Mr..
Henderson continued. While the
minimum coupon book grants a
fraction Of a gallon more per week
than the A card permits now. the
conditions which must be met to
obtain supplemental rations under
the new plan are SO strict that most
auto owners will have to get along
on the minimum. Two-thirds OF
Eastern motorists now enjoy some
form Of extra allotment above the
A minimum"
OPA believes a large reduction in
gasoline consumption will be ef-
fected under the new plan, by the
stiffening of requirements for OBJ
tanning supplementary rations and
the general tightening of the ra-
tioning system through the flow-
back of coupons Then, there will
be no category Of X users who can
get unlimited quantities of fuel.
The 2E2-cent price increase will
raise the price Of regular" gaso-
line in the District from 1877 to 212
cents per gallon. Various grades Of
high-test gas selling now for 20.7
2l.2 and 2l.7 will 60 up to 23.2, 23.7
and 242, respectively.
Mr.. Henderson said he regretted
the necessity of allowing the gas
and oil increases and was "keenly
aware OF the inequity of making
consumers Of petroleum products
bear the entire cost of the subma-
rine warfare against tanker move
ment along the Eastern Coast"
Sought Subsidy Fund.
The price administrator had hoped
to obtain s38 900 900 from the Gov
ernment to use as subsidy to
cover higher costs in transporting
petroleum by rail which oil COM
panies have to pay. He has been
unable to obtain congressional ap-
proval. He had told a press con-
ference he would give "a handful
Of my best cigars" to any one hand
ing him a check for $38,000,0O0.
1T is my feeling, and one which
I am sure is widely shared, that the
higher cost Of getting petroleum to
the East Coast resulting from en-
emy action is an appropriate charge
against the public treasury, just as
is the cost of patrol boats with
which We sink the submarines.
The price of residual oil, a heavy
oil used by industry, was not in
creased. The extra cost of transport
ing that oil was loaded onto gaso-
line and the price of kerosene and
light fuel oils of the type used in
home heating. Concerning that
move, Mr.. Henderson said:
Price increases of this sort have
bad dislocating effect on the whole
cost situation of industries operating
under our ceilings. Water borne
fuel oil. for example. delivered at
tanker rates, is an economical fuel
for most industries. Should it have
to carry. even temporarily, land
transportation rates, this would have
serious effect on prices charged
by industries which use heavy fuel
OIL"
Mr.. Henderson admitted the
loading" Of the extra charges on
gas and light fuels is not a salts
factory solution to the problem He
said he hoped a permanent solution
will be forthcoming shortly.
Petroleum prices were placed un-
der price ceilings February 2. In
March, rising transportation costs
forced a half cent increase in price
OF gasoline; four r-tenths of a cent
per gallon on kerosene and light
oils, and 20 cents a barrel on resi-
dual oils. On April % gasoline
prices again were increased. this
time four -tenths of a cent per gal
lori: light fuel oils went up tws
tenths and residual oil 20 cents a
barrel.