Evening star., 1942-06-05
President Acts
To Learn Facts
In Gas Rationing
Studies Situation
After 100 in House
Protest Extension

President Roosevelt undertook
a full review and perhaps extern
Sive overhauling of Government
gasoline and rubber distribution
as result of a White House con-
ference with Federal advisers to-
day after a bloc of 100 members
of the House met and asked for
a congressional study of the
general gasoline situation before
rationing is extended on a Ma
ton wide basis.
After the White House conference
one of the participants said fatty
no decisions were made and he did
not know when any might be ex-
pected.
But, Archibald MacLeish, director
of the ONCE of Facts and Figures,
asserted a statement would be is
sued in the nearish future" He
interpreted that to mean a matter
of days. and said the statement
would come from the White House.
In the group attending the con-
ference were Secretary of Com
merce Jones, Secretary of the
Interior Ickes, Undersecretary of
War Patterson, Budget Director
Harold D. Smith, War Production
Board Chairman Donald M. Nelson,
Price Administrator Leon Hender-
son, Assistant Budget Director
Wayne Coy, Transportation Admin
istrator Joseph B. Eastman, Arthur
Newhall. rubber supply expert; Joel
Dean, gasoline supply officer, and
Mr.. MacLeish.
Justification Demanded.
The Representatives who adopted
the resolution on the gasoline sur
vey also expressed in vigorous
speeches their opposition to wider
rationing until facts" are given to
Congress to justify it.
The resolution assailed "bureau-
cratic methods" and "dictatorial
policies" and was offered by Rep
reSentative Rankin, Democrat, of
Mississippi. 1t was amended to
record the meeting as favoring any
necessary war sacrifice. Representa-
tive Harness, Republican, of Indi-
ana, attacked the way Mr.. Hender-
son handled the rationing program.
Fighting mad, several speakers
protested that any move for Ma
tlon-wide rationing of gasoline at
this time was unwarranted and
maintained it would create chaos
and confusion" and harm, rather
than help the war effort.
As the House members clamored
for an opportunity to speak at the
half-hour protest meeting, Repre-
sentative Jennings, Republican. of
Tennessee, remarked: Isn't the
trouble the fact that we have Gre
ated a dictator who is a smart
Alec?"
The majority of those at the
meeting were from oil-producing
States or the immediate vicinity,
and concentrated their attack on
Mr.. Henderson.
Assails Henderson.
Representative Jed johnson, Dem
ocrat, of Oklahoma asserted that he
was "fed up" with Mr.. Henderson
presenting himself as an expert on
all subjects, and suggested that
Congress could protect its rights
when the request for appropriatf IS
for his Office reached the II Use
floor.
He told his colleagues tb Mr..
Henderson was seeking fur 5 for a
force of 10000 emplk res
Building UP G-5Capo," re-
marked one Representative.
"Gestapo is mild word" replied
Mr. johnson.
The meeting authorized Repre-
sentative Kleberg, Democrat, of
Texas. who presided. to appoint a
committee of five representatives to
determine what steps are neces-
sary' to meet the gasoline and rub
ber crisis.
The gathering was arranged by
an informal group under the lead
ership of Representative Scrugham,
Democrat, of Nevada, and the at
tacks on Price Administrator Hen
derson were numerous. Repre-
(See GASOLINE, Page 2-X.)