The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-11
PLEASURE RIDES
 TO BE CURTAILED
Fuel Oil RatiOning to Grow More Stringent All Burn.
 CTS May Be Converted
BY LOUIS ). SCHAEFLE. United Press Staff Correspondent

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 washington, December II. = UP) - The Senate committee investigat- ing the war, reporting that nation wide gasoline rationing is "abund- antly justified'' and that fuel oil rationing in the East must grow more and more stringent, today called for elimination of pleasure driving for the duration of the war and warned that compulsory conver- sion of oil burners to coal may be necessary.
 The committee, headed by Sena- tor Harry s. Truman, Democrat, Mo, undertook an investigation of the oil and rubber problems last month when western congressman revolted unsuccessfully against gasoline ra- tioning in their areas. It's report said:
 "The Baruch report on rubber in September and the recent report of William Jeffers as rubber director have confirmed the recornmenda- ton of this committee last May that the rubber situation was extremely critical and that every possible meas ure of conservation should be imme- diately adopted.
 Pleasure. driving should pass out for the duration. When William Jeffers as rubber director advises the American people that only a miracle can produce the rubber essential to keep our military machine function ing and that any breakdown such as ordinarily is anticipated might mean the paralysis of our military and civilian economy it is high time for America to stop, look and listen"
 Rationing of fuel oil in the East was said to be absolutely essential" In the Midwest 1t can be Justified only on the ground that essential stranSportation facilities would be released to help the hard-pressed East, the committee said.
 '"No Americans must freeze" 1t said. 'war production must not be impeded by epidemics."
 It called for cutting of red tape by local rationing boards and said it was imperative that minimum re- quirements for home heating are satisfied. But it also called for pulp lie cooperation in accepting reason able restrictions and in making con- versions to coal, warning:
 Compulsory conversion wherever practicable may soon be essential"
 The report was issued as spokes- Ynffnv.c NvyI1A had yFro FrNnH that the United Nations face a dis astrous" shortage of rubber in 1943 unless synthetic plants are built on schedule. said only President Roosevelt could give the synthetic rubber program the unqualified go- ahead needed. Five essential war programs = rubber, aviation gaso- line, escort svessels. merchant ships and aircraft - are competing for materials and fabricating facilities. All carry identical top priority rat ings ndthe granting of one prefer ence over the others would have to be made by the White House.
 The Truman committee said gas oline rationing should apply even to those areas where gasoline is plantiful because of the need to conserve rubber, but that such ra- tioning should be administered locally by local boards familiar with local needs.
 Certain conditions exist in the west and middle west, such as the great distances involved, that do not exist in the East" the committee said. Pull consideration should be given to those differences
 It stated emphatically that fuel for farm tractors should rot be "a. toned, but that amounts used should be reported to local boards charged with correcting cases of abuses and excesSes.
 The report criticized complicated" farms which farmers are required to fill out to obtain permission to operate their. trucks. They are re- quired to digest a 32-page pamphlet of instructions and an elaborate questionnaire demanding detailed data "on activities long past from entirely non-existent records" it charged.
 The committee also accused au- thorities of lack of foresight in not transforming barges to oil carriers, in accordance with its own recorn- mendation last spring.
 "A plethora of government agen- cies working at cross purposes failed to get the program under way soon enough" the report added.
 Commercial motor vehicles In pnrtuoal have heeY, converted ko