Evening star., 1942-11-15
The Travellers Notebook
ODT and opA Send Up Trial Balloon on TroveI
Priorities; Departments Moy Consider
individual Decisions Best
BY JACQUES FUTRELLE, Jr.,
Travel Editor.

BY JACQUES FUTRELLE, Jr,
Travel Editor.
A novel approach to a form Of
travel rationing-a problem SO diff
flcult to administer that it has not
been attempted before-made its
bow when the Once of Defense
Transportation and the ONCE of
Price Administration spearheaded
an effort to convince Government
departments they should ring down
the curtain on year-end leaves re-
quiring public transportation.
Anticipating unprecedented crowds
and confusion attending Christmas
travel, at terminals and transfer
points, as well as aboard trains and
buses. the two agencies have taken
the first direct step toward saying
who shall ride. With OPA indors-
ing the principle, ODT has asked
department heads to deny their en-
ployes trips home or elsewhere
between December l8 and January
10. Thus every one may scramble
for holiday transportation-and a
scramble 1t will be-except Govern
ment workers.
The Eastman and Henderson units
no doubt recall vividly the scenes
enacted throughout the country, and
especially in the East, on the last
prominent national holiday. Sep
TENDERS Labor Day put an UNI
precedented load on public trans
portation. As Christmas nears the
prospects are that overtaxed trains
and buses will pull out leaving hun
dreds of passengers on the plat
forms-fatfooted in wonder or
dancing with anguish.
\ X X X
Perhaps Thanksgiving, also popu-
lar for homecomings and as yet
without strings attached to the first
come flrst-serve basis, will afford
a preview of Yule and New Year
travel. It is not inconceivable that
the transportation melee will grow
into riots in the struggle for space
unless some formula of moderation
Is worked out.
Before suggesting that Govern
ment employees receive the lowest
status in travel priorities, the two
ratlonlng agencies no doubt con-
sidered more than a piecemeal ap-
proach to the whole problem. Then
they sent up the trial balloon. Gov
ernment departments will make
their decisions individually and
might hit upon some method that
has eluded the two agencies-a
method more appealing, more sale
able to Federal workers.
Indirectly, the ODT and OPA paid
tribute to the morale of countless
young workers who left their homes
to do their bit in the Capital, and
Tor their first Christmas away find
themselves with the prospect of a
cold, artificial fireplace of an apart
ment or boarding house. But
agencies where personnel turnover
is a problem might not care to risk
the chance that their workers. with
denial of leave as the last straw
decide to do their war work at home
Tor the duration. Such agencies
might insist on an approach that is
less directive
X X X X
1t would cost money and effort tc
bring the privilege of considered
decision to each individual who
might be planning a Christmas trip
But a campaign OF enlightenment
and persuasion, even If confined te
Washington, could reach more thar
that population working in Govern.
ment Offices. Publicized nationally
sound reasons might perform q
broad task in a democratic way.
Although troop movements PLAY
big part in the load on train and
bus transportation, there is no in.
dication that military necessity
might require less civilian trave
between December 18 and January
10. Should grave CONTINGENCIES
arise, trains could be and would be
emptied without notice, at way
stations, In freight yards, in corn
fields.
The public would have to risk the
possibility at other times as well
as Christmas.
Whoever elects to travel during
the intense holiday cap expect:
Dubious comfort.
Small chances of reservations for
the better accommodations (some-
body else will have them.
Delayed schedules, even possibility
OF not being permitted to board too
crowded train.
Pushing, rude mobs.
Taking accommodations that SOL
diers could use to 60 home or reach
camp before being listed -AWOL.
Using space that parents of SOL
dier might use In paying him Christ
mas visit.
The sudden realization that the
trip could have waited.
From q railroad man comes a
statement that might do much to
eliminate the first step toward travel
rationing, and permit a public to
temper its demands to war condi-
tions without being over-rationed.
The statement comes from John ].
Pelley, president of the Association
OF American Railroads. He says: