Evening star., 1943-02-27
1851 No. 7
Books Issued
In Registration
Totul Falls Below
Figure Expected
By Officials

books were issued by the schools
during the four-day registration
which ended last night. 1t was re-
ported today by school officials.
This slight increase over the
731 1863 No. books last May was
considerably below the $50 900 which
rationing officials had estimated
would be given out.
The total number of reeistrants
who applied for the books was
324 ,5o7. They declared an aggre-
gate Of 532,713 excess cans on
hand as OF last Saturday. Total
excess coffee declared as of last
November % was 2o,765 pounds.
Yesterday the schools handled H.
745 registrants, who were granted
l64.379 books. The last days ap-
phcants declared a total of 120,423
excess cans and 3949 excess pounds
OF coffee. According to school Of
tlcials, these declarations included
those OF one woman who reported
she had 1,179 cans OF food in her
house and two families which listed
500 and $50 pounds of green coffee
which, they said, they roasted them
selves.
Expect More Later.
Registration officials expressed
surprise over the fact that totals for
the four-day registration fell far
below the figure anticipated.
1t was explained that many resi-
dents of the District, especially those
who lived in boarding or rooming
houses and had no use for Book No.
l, had failed to obtain this first ra-
ton book and were therefore unable
to get their new book during the
registration period this week. Local
ration boards we're swamped with
APPLICATIONS for Book No. l, many Of
which they were not able to handle
before the schools closed last night.
1t is necessary to present Book No.
l before the new book may be issued.
Persons who did not get their new
books this week may make applica-
ton at their local rationing boards
after March IS. Because the demand
for Book No 2 was lighter than ex-
pected, boards anticipate they will
receive large numbers OF applications
after March Is.
Servicemen Denied Books.
The local OPA office yesterday
clarified rationing regulations in re-
gard to servicemen by declaring that
those who receive Subsistence In
kind" are not entitled to books. This
means, the OPA explained, that
servicemen who eat their meals reg
ularly in their camps or posts and
who receive these meals as part of
their pay may not have ration books.
However, if serviceman is required
to live outside the post and Is given
an allowance for subsistence, he may
apply for book.
Servicemen on furlough for q week
or more, the OPA said. may obtain
temporary ration books from local
boards. They will not be issued,
however, it was stated, to soldiers
or sailors on short leaves or on over.
night passes. ,a "a,
Brown Lauds Newspapers.
The part played by the newspapers
Of the Nation in explaining point
rationing to the public was COM
mended by Price Administrator
Prentiss M. Brown yesterday.
mo finer single service in the in
terest OF the American public" he
said, "has been performed during
this war"
In fact, registration everywhere
went so well, national OPA Of
ficial said last night, that we're
worried-it seems too good to be
true"
Throughout the country, 1t was
estimated that 120,000,O00 ration
books had been issued during the
past week. Only in parts OF Wiscon-
sin and Minnesota was registration
delayed by cold weather. In these
areas, OPA has granted local boards
authority to finish the job whenever
the weather permits.
Nearby Registration Not Complete.
Ration officials in nearby Virginia
estimated that approximately sc, 500
residents failed to register during the
signup which ended Thursday in
Fairfax County and yesterday in
Arlington and Alexandria.
In nearby Maryland, the Prince
Georges County ration board said
more than 1929 residents regis
tered yesterday, the last day of the
signup there, bringing the total to
over 104,914 for the three days. ON
Gals said there was no doubt that
the registration had been completed.
DR.. E. w. Broome, superintendent
Of Montgomery County schools, said
totals had not been computed for
the county wide registration, but
added that he believed the registra-
ton was complete.
4 A..