The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-02

great men of the administrative end of your government shouldn't be ar- noyed by trifies, but the folks back home trifle annoyed by the hand out of x gasoline ration cards to congressman. That being the case, maybe 1t should be called to the attention of the public servants in the executive end. of the govern ment that there's war on, that gasoline is being rationed on the Atlantic Seaboard, that there's a rubber shortage, and that to save rubber, gasoline may have to be rationed all over this broad and beautiful land.
 Consequently, Senator Byrd was doing useful service when, as chairman of the Joint Committee on Reduction of Nonessential Expendi- lures, he figuratively put the pinch ing shoe of national economy on Uncle Sams other foot and caution ed the old gent to take that foot of the accelerator.
 Of course the government is big, of course it has a lot of extra war; time duties, and of course $5 million for car operation Is nothing at all when compared to the billions for war. Five million is even practically nothing at all when compared to the $147 million total travel ex- penses which government paid out last fiscal year. But this matter of saving gas and rubber has become a symbol.
 CRUSADE
 Saving rubber is 8 holy crusade with all the significance of the widows mite. Therefore, 1t behooves every government third deputy as- sistant co-ordinator, before stepping into one of Uncle Sam's jallopies, to raise his right hand and swear by St. Christopher and Harold Ickes that this trip he is about to make is absolutely necessary. The image of 18,948 governmental owned cars roaming the country roads on un- limited x ration cards contributes nothing to the peace of mind of the average taxpayer, or the fellow try ing to get along on three gallons a week.
 As for the 862 government chauffeurs, it took Senator Burton K. Wheeler of Butte, Mont, to polish of the government-hired thumb perkers who ride behind them.
 "Ahe the cars and chauffeurs used only for official business?" asked Senator Wheeler, and he answered his own question with Certainly not! All of us," he went on, "have attended private dinners at which we have seen departmental officials driven up in official cars by official chauf7eurs. They have not been used solely for official busi- neSS."
 The point of this little homily is that an executive assistant sec tion chief is no better than a con- gressman and if you're agoin' to raise cain with your representative or senator for carrying an x card, you should be equally meticulous about who rides between pair of those big new shiny red, white and blue government license tags. AGRICULTURE TOPS
 Senator Byrd's breakdown on de- partments operating this 18,948 car fleet makes good perusing, too. At the top of the list is the Depart ment of Agriculture with 4513 cars and IS chauffeurs. Right behind is the Department of the Interior Qckes) with 3252 cars and eight chauffeurs Third is the Federal Se- cumity Agency (Paul McNutD with 3lO4 cars and 66 chauffeurs.
 Under 1OOO-car fleets include fleets include Commerce with 134, Federal Works Agency with 982, Veterans Administration with SS9, IVA with 779, and Panama Canal with PIP.
 And for the Panama Canals PIP cars there were reported 15O chauffeurs, which was tops. In de- lending the canal, America appar- entity expects every chauffeur to drive his boss to his duty.
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