Evening star., 1942-05-17
NOT Enough Gas
nHand toMeet
Ration Orders
Rush to Fill Tanks
Before DeodIine Cut
Deep Into Supply

Going into it's first week end OF
rationed gasoline, Washington
today faced Sunday at home.
made necessary not only by ra-
tioning itself, but also by a short
age of the supply of fuel in the
hands of dealers.
The rush of many motorists to
fill up their tanks before rationing
went into effect put heavy drain
on the deliveries to dealers here,
and yesterday many filling stations
were refusing to fill even the de-
mandS authorized by ration cards.
Nearly all gasoline stations in the
city will be closed today.
A survey of sources of supply
yesterday disclosed that the de-
mand for ratiored gasoline ranged
from slight" to only fair" but
for the most part, there was not
enough fuel to supply this rationed
demand.
One large chain Of stations was
limiting sales to not more than 3
gallons per person, and. with its
local supply virtually exhausted,
was trucking gasoline from Balti-
more. one official said, but even
Baltimore was running low" On
the other hand some filling stations
reported they were not short.
Boards May Grant More.
More liberal allowances for those
holding cards with restricted
amounts of fuel will be considered
by the six local ration boards set up
throughout the city, beginning to-
morrow morning. The procedure for
persons who actually need more will
be to go TO one of the local boards,
and fill out an application for a
"supplmental' supply.
These local boards which also are
handling sugar rationing are To-
Gated as follows: Force School,
l740 Massachusetts, avenue NV;
Oyster School, Twenty ninth and
Calvert streets NV; Mount Pleas
ant Branch Public Library, Six
teenth and Lamont streets NV;
Hayes School, Fifth and K streets
NV; Southwest Branch, Public Lii
brary, Seventh and K streets SW.;
Ketcham School, Fifteenth street
and Good Hope road Sc.
Whether persons who are granted
higher ration cards can buy more
gasoline, however, will depend on
whether there is enough gasoline
to go around.
Among those who were assured
yesterday of a supplemental supply
were workers in war construction
jobs in this East Coast gas ration
area, including this city and vicinity.
Such assurance was given in an
official statement issued by the Of
fee of Price Administration.
Labor Leaders Visit o. P. A.
The statement followed a visit
made at o. P A headquarters by a
committee of three labor leaders
from the Washington Building
Trades Council. They had reported
that several workers, badly needed
for construction jobs here had left
the vicinity for fear they could not
get sufficient gas to take them home
eventually. The committee consist
ed of C. F. Preller, president of the
council; John Locher, executive sec
retary, and Willy Arnheim, business
agent for heavy construction labor.
Mr.. Locher expressed qualification
over the statement issued by o. P.
A. He said the huge construction
jobs in this city and vicinity now
were employing about $4,000 men
badly needed for new war construc-
ton.
Thousands OF workers on war
construction jobs in the East Coast
gas ration area, who need their cars
not only to drive back and forth to
work, but also to travel from job
to job" said the statement, ARE
assured adequate supplies of gaso-
line for these purposes.
Many of these workers are en-
ployed in the rationed area on a
temporary basis, and are concerned
over the quantities of gasoline they
can get under rationing conditions.
Lodged Far From Jobs.
Because of a lack of housing
facilities near many construction
jobs, workers have to be lodged
several miles from their places of
work. Also, skilled workmen, in
cluding electricians, plumbers and
carpenters, have to transport their
own tools, thus making use of their
cars essential. AS soon as one job
is done. they have to travel to
new one, perhaps at some distant
point.
The gasoline rationing regula-
tions permit supplemental rations Of
gasoline whenever they are needed
for cars that must be driven in
pursuit of a gainful occupation.
Supplemental rations may also be
issued to migrant workers who need
their cars to travel from job to Job.
Application for additional sup
plies of gasoline is to be made at
a local rationing board. The local
board is authorized by o. P. A. to
issue ration cards providing for the
purchase of the necessary quantity
of gasoline"
Nine More Boards to Be Set Up.
Although the statement did not
explain which kind of card the men
should get, it was believed most of
them who had received some kind
of a B card, would be given q
(See GASOLINE, Page A-4D