Evening star., 1942-07-03
0PA Holds Little Hope
For Easing Week End
Gasoline Shortage
Supply Situation Held
Likely to Get Worse
Under Present Setup

Informed sources in the Office
of Price Administration indicated
today there would not only be
little gasoline for driving over
the holiday week end, but that
the supply situation would be-
come progressively worse until
the permanent rationing plan
goes into effect July %.
Over-generous rations to motor.
lists under the current temporary
plan that are disproportionate to the
so per cent cut in deliveries to filling
stations are held as the cause of the
shortage.
1t was pointed out that on June
Is the value Of units on ration cards
was doubled from three to six gal
Ions. That was done when the
effective date of permanent ration
ing was postponed from July / tc
July Is Motorists holding higher
B cards had not used many units at
that time. The doubling of unit
value permitted them more gasoline
than was intended. ..--
Situation Tight Here.
There are two solutions to the
shortage problem, it was said. One
would be an increase in quotas tc
filling stations by the Petroleum
co-ordinator, but it was helc
doubtful if supplies in the East
would permit that. The other solu-
tion would be to cut down rations
to motorists, allowing sufficient
quantities for only most essential
driving That would assure gas for
war workers and other essentia
users. Whether such a recheckine
of rations at this late date would
be feasible also was considered
doubtful.
Relief from the gasoline shortage
along the Eastern Seaboard was to
be sought today by committee oil
gasoline dealers. meeting here with
Joel Dean, head OF the OPA Fuel
Rationing Division, as IT Atlantic
States faced a tourless July 4.
Even motorists who have savec
their gasoline quotas for three
or four weeks in order to have
enough fuel for holiday jaunt will
find their saving in vain, as gas
station attendants. with supplies
running low Or all gone, will be
forced to shrug, even at *" cards.
The gasoline situation here was
described today as pretty tight" BY
Harry Wainwright of Gasoline Re
tailers, Inc. He said panic buyin,
rushes in the early hours depleted
the daily supplies of many gasoline
stations.
Stations Limit Sales.
Most filling station operators here
expect to run out of gas late today
| or early tomorrow, the keystone
! Automobile Club reported after q
| survey, despite the fact that most
retailers were limiting sales to six
gallons per customer. Some station,
already were displaying Out o.
! Gas" signs.
Most of the stations will be closec
over the holiday week end. it was
reported A few. that received new
supplies yesterday, are expecting tc
remain open tomorrow and Sunday
The holiday shortage has de.
veloped, dealers said, because July
deliveries are to be only half of the
amount of gasoline the dealers sold
in July, l94l. This cannot be OBJ
tanned fast enough to meet the
special occasion" demand of the
July week end.
Meanwhile plans were under way
here today to insure a sufficient
supply of gasoline for workers in
essential war industries, 1t is un-
derstood that an increased allot-
ment is to be granted certain filling
stations in war plant areas. the
additional fuel to be allowed fol
essential use by war workers.