Evening star., 1942-10-25
Sale Of $1,000 Pumps
By Store Held Up for
City Heads 10 Act
Commissioners May Buy
Them for Distribution
Where Most Needed

A sporting goods merchant who
entered the stirrup pump business
several jumps ahead of District
civilian defense officials may re-
linquish his 1000 pump order so
that the District can distribute them
to the sections of the city that need
them most, 1t was indicated last
night.
Charles Rosenthal had planned to
announce today that he was taking
orders at the Sport Center for the
$3.50 pump on a first-come, first
served basis with delivery promised
In the next few weeks.
The announcement has been post
poned until the Commissioners de-
eide whether they want to buy the
pumps themselve or make some
other arrangement to control their
distribution.
The pumps are among the 2,258,-
900 approved for manufacture in a
joint agreement between the War
Production Board, Defense Supplies
Corp, the Office of Price Admin
istration and the Office of Civilian
Defense. Their production has been
delayed for months by one criti-
cal material obstacle after another.
3 Methods of Distribution.
In a joint statement issued by
the Office of War Information, the
agencies suggested three methods of
distribution of the pumps which are
restricted to target areas. The de-
tense council might purchase a COM
munity allotment and distribute the
pumps free to members of the citi-
zens defense corps or other citizens;
the pumps might be sold by retailers
without any control or the defense
council might arrange for retailers
to sell the pumps only to persons
obtaining certificates Of need from
the defense council.
When it was learned the Sport
Center was planning to sell the
pumps, local OCD was asked by
The Star whether it had made any
arrangements with Mr.. Rosenthal
for controlled distribution.
Local officials said they knew
nothing about the Sport Center ar
rangement, that they had been try
ing to get information about the
status of the pumps for some time,
that a call to Defense Supplies
Corp. had elected the name of the
factory serving this area and that
a letter had gone to the factory
October 10 asking how many pumps
Washington would get. what distri-
button plans had been made and
when the pumps would arrive.
Says Defense Units Come First.
Meanwhile, national OCD insisted
that the factory was bound by con-
tract to give the civilian defense
organization first choice in the
purchase
Mr.. Rosenthal said he had become
interested in stirrup pumps three
months ago, but had been advised
to wait until these pumps were put
on the market.
Col. Lemuel Bolles, executive di-
rector of District civilian defense,
called him Friday night, he said,
asking that the announcement be
held up until the District decided
what it wanted to do about the
pumps.
Mr.. Rosenthal said he was agree
able but preferred to consult the
factory representative who happened
to be in town before making a de-
cision. The factory representative,
according to Mr.. Rosenthal, said he
had no knowledge that the District
should have first call on the pumps.
1t was decided at noon yesterday
at conference between the factory
agent. Sport Center officials and Col.
Bolles to hold up the announcement
Mr.. Rosenthal said last night he