Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-11-17
Inner TiItinq
Marks Ickes'
New Gas Cut
OPA Opposed Plan in
East; He Curbed Firms
BY PAUL MALLON

WASHINGTON. Nov. IL. -
W Some fancy inside admins
trative clawing attended Mr.
Ickes' recommendation to Don
aid Nelson that fuel and gas
rationing consumption be cur
tailed more sharply in the East.
AS Fuel Co-ordinator Ickes
knew (but the public did noO,
the Henderson Office of Price
Administration had taken an
immovable stand against the
Ickes recommendation in adj
vance consultations. OPA did
not want any further curtail-
ment, and especially not a de-
crease in gas coupon values TO
three instead of four gallons "a
25 per cent cuD.
There was much inner fitting
back and forth between them,
before Mr.. Ickes told Nelson the
East would be short about $4,000
barrels of gasoline a day and
10000 barrels of oil - appar-
emily leaving the decision as to
what TO do about il up to Mr..
Nelson.
But Mr.. Ickes took some steps
on the side to assure action. He
privately told the major oil COM
panies. army and navy requests
must be given prior considera-
tion before any consumer bust
ness, thereby proposing to leave
less gas and fuel for public dis
tribution, despite OPA.
OFFICIAL reason for the new
~ curtailment commotion is
that the navy and army now
want their oil and gas delivered
on the eastern seaboard. Up to
the African campaign, they filled
their Atlantic needs largely at
Gulf ports.
Also, the transportation sit
uation is showing signs of de-
terioration. Only a few ocean
, tankers, so slow as to be of no
use to the army and navy. are
still in private operation. Rail-
road tank cars are showing the
wear of the terrific pace and
repair shops are crowded.
But some steps besides cut
ting coupon values can be
taken. A great leakage in I'M
necessary consumption is sup
posed to exist in IS" books.
On December i, all such COM
mercial users will be rationed
on a basis of mileage used, in
stead of coupon values.
THAT Truman committee re-
Il port demanding that the
unions 60 TO a 48-hour week for
war work was written by a
union labor man. Senator Kill
gore Of West Virginia, who is
considered a mine worker rep
reSentative. New Dealing Sem
ator Jim Mead is also on the
committee. which has a strongly
pro-administration reputation.
Not only from this, but from
other congressional evidence, it
is becoming plain the 40-hour
week arrangement is to be
changed. Obviously, the govern
ment cannot try a draft Of man.
power or take many firm steps
TO promote war production in
that way, with union labor en-
joying a 40-hour week. and
working on the average 42.5
hours.
This question, however, is
primarily a matter of pay.
Time and a half or double time
is generally paid above 40 hours
to union men. The miners, for
instance, who until recently have
been on the five-day week. are
now going to work six, but they
will get time and half for the
sixth day.
This practice opposes every
administration purpos e-the
holding down of income to pre-
vent imitation, price limitations
TO keep down war and living
costs, etc.
If the matter Is allowed TO
drift on without solution il is
likely the congressional tax
makers will act in the next tax
bill-imposing perhaps a so per
cent tax on time and a half or
overtime as excess earnings"
or requiring such earnings to be
invested in government bonds.
OUIETUDE was the answer
W to Representative Mas hot
broadcast deploring the ineffici-
ency of our naval war effort in
the Pacific, but his views repre-
Sented what many congressman,
perhaps majority. really think,
and have been saying among
themselves.
Democratic Representative Lyn
don johnson of Texas has pri-
vately taken somewhat the
same view, so II cannot be con-
sidered a political matter.
No one has taken up these
charges, however, for several
reasons. The naval command
has been changed since the
sleeping cruiser" and other in
cidents occurred and naval COM
muniques have been issued more
promptly the past few weeks.
Also the question of O unified