Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-12-18


be temporary. 1--WE want to
know what temporary means"
he said, adding that keeping
the stores open until 7 pm.
would work a real hardship
on store employees, many of
whom are married women
with families to look after.
The OPA order canoeing all
but T gasoline ration books to-
day promised an unprecedented
load on the city's public trans
portation system and brought
recommendations for the closing
of the public schools for Christ
mas vacation today instead of
next Wednesday and the stag
gering of hours of work for five
Government agencies to tighten
rush-hour loads.
At an emergency session of the
Public Utilities Commission, one Of
several going on simultaneously as
the fun weight of the order struck
Washington, it was suggested that
80 900 Government workers in In
terror. Agriculture and Treasury
Departments, the Office of Price Ad-
ministration and the Office of Emer-
gency Management, have their
hours shifted.
Transit Peak Load Seen.
The Capital Transit Co., which
suggested the school closing as
we'll as the further staggering of
Government shifts, anticipated a
history making congestion on bus
and street car lines tomorrow.
Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer, who had met earlier with
the Regional Committee of De-
tense Transportation Administrators,
agreed with the transit company
that staggered hours might be or
dered for more agencies, but recon-
mended that no such changes be
made if the sale of gasoline to pri-
vate car owners was suspended for
no more than three days.
Government officials had indi-
Gated earlier that in view of the
hope that the crisis might be Of
short dura ton they were making
no plans to stagger Government
hours or develop any special trans
portation program.
From several sources. indications
came that relief might be forth
coming in a short time, bringing the
B and C cards back to usefulness,
and several drastic changes of trans
portation arrangements were being
held up pending further develop
ments.
School Heads to Meet.
Supt. of Schools Frank w. Bal
lou and five assistant superintend-
ents of schools were scheduled to
confer with Mr.. Van Duzer at 4:30
o'clock this afternoon. If this group
between them could not decide def
nitely about the wisdom of closing
the schools, it was learned, special
Board of Education meeting would
be called tomorrow to decide the is
sue. 1t was reported that closing
the schools Immediately instead of
waiting until the holidays start next
week would free 10 buses for use of
the general public.
The emergency conference was
called by the PUG to consider short
routing of bus lines, the hating of
some lines at least on the fringes
of the downtown congested zone
and other steps designed to make
more street cars and buses avail
able in hauling an expected increase
in passengers.
After brief conference with PUG
members, company officials went
into session with the traffic director
and Fred A. Sager, chief engineer
of the PUG, to work out in detail
such rerouting plans. Company
President E. A. Merrill, president of
the transit company, suggested that
wholesale rerouting plans should
not be put into effect until Monday
so as to allow time to acquaint the
riding public with the charges
However, Mr.. Merrill suggested that
probably something will have to be
done to meet demands for tomorrow
morning. but announcement of any
such first moves was withheld until
after the conference of engineers.
Taxis to Cooperate.
James H. Flanagan. PUG chair
man, reported that taxi feet oper-
ators had assured him the taxi COM