Evening star., 1942-09-10
President Ready
To Order New
Mileage CUT
35-M.P.H. Speed,
5,0O0-MiIe Annual
Limit PIunned
BY the Associated Press.


President Roosevelt said today
he would put into effect "as rap
idly as arrangements can be
made" a set of recommendations
from his special Rubber Commit
tee, which included Nationwide
gasoline rationing and drastic
regulation of civilian motoring.
The President praised the COM
1nittee's far-reaching report as "ex-
Fellent," and said the Government
owed debt of gratitude to the COM
mittee members. He transmitted
copies to Congress for its informa-
tion.
The committee, headed by Ber-
nard M. Baruch, submitted its re-
port to the Chief Executive with a
blunt declaration that there was no
middle course in solving the Ma
tion's rubber problem; that it was
discomfort or defeat"
Delay Is Expected.
Robert Horton, deputy price ad-
ministrator in charge of informa-
ton, estimated it would be "a num-
Der of weeks" before OPA could be-
gin rationing gasoline on a nation
wide basis.
Assuming that the national ra-
tioning would be handled on the
same basis as the plan now operating
in the East, Mr.. Horton said the
printing of ration books would be the
major cause of delay OPA es-
timated that some $4,000, 900 pas
senger cars would be affected.
Joel Dean, chief of the Fuel Ra-
tioning Bureau of the Office of Price
Administration, called a special
meeting of his staff this afternoon
to consider the recommendations of
the Baruch Committee.
Indications were that Mr.. Dean
and his staff might reach decision
within "a hours.
35-Mile Speed Limit Urged.
In addition to recommending an
expansion of the present synthetic
rubber production program from an
annual total now of 705, 600 tons to
contemplated figure of 1,10O,0
the committee proposed these addi-
tional steps:
/. That no speed above IS miles
an hour be permitted for passenger
cars and trucks, so as to prolong
the life of tires by nearly 40 per
cent.
2. That the average annual mile
age per car be held to approxi-
mately 5000 miles, and this to be
permitted only for necessary driv-
ing"
8. That more rubber be released
to the public through recapping old
tires, or the issuance of new ones,
so as to maintain fully necessary
civilian driving.
4. That new gasoline rationing
system be devised to save tires,
based on 5000 miles year of driv-
ing per car.
5. That "the restrictions as to gas
oline and mileage be national in
their application
6. That compulsory periodic tire
inspections be instituted.
7. That voluntary tire conserva-
tion program be put into effect
pending establishment of gas ra-
tioning. which the committee said
was "the only way of saving rubber"
Figures Back Up Warning.
The committee members, in addi-
ton to Mr.. Baruch, head of the War
Industries Board in the last war,
were DR.. James 3. Conant, president
of Harvard University, and DR.. Karl
T. Compton, president of Massachu-
sets Institute of Technology.
The group was appointed August
s with instructions from President
Roosevelt to complete a survey
quickly and to propose the best
methods of obtaining adequate rub
ber for military and for essential
civilian needs.
They told the President bluntly
that:
1--WE find the existing situation to
be so dangerous that unless cor
rect1ve measures are taken imme-
diately this country will face both a
military and civilian collapse. The
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