Evening star., 1943-08-22
By JACQUES FUTRELLE, JR.


ton today to watch their step on
the gas.
Two warnings were sounded last
week that the so-near-yet-so-f
lifting of the ban on essential
driving and an increase in the
weekly allotment of gasoline are in
| jeopardy. Ralph K. Davies, deputy
petroleum administrator, told of
gas stocks being overdrawn. and
Thomas P. Henry. president of the
American Automobile Association,
called for public cooperation to
assure liberalization of the tight
rationing.
Mr.. Henry's statement, the earlier
of the two, pointed out that the
proposed permission of OPA for
freer use of cars was not guaran-
teed regardless of conditions, and
| the hard-won disposition to allow
so-called pleasure driving" can be
upset by the public's attitude. Mr..
Davies Thursday confirmed this
viewpoint when he said that if the
drain on stocks continues, it will
obviously delay the time when
more liberal supplies of gasoline
can be made available for civilian
use"
The AAA president, recommend
ing 100 per cent compliance with
present restrictions, put it this way:
IF there are widespread and flag
rant violations, if there are large
scale black market leakages and
general atmosphere of non-com-
pliance, it will be difficult if not
impossible to build stocks up to the
necessary level and officials will have
an excuse for delaying both lifting
of the driving ban and restoration
of coupon values"
THE more fully we cooperate,
the more sparing We are in the use
of gasoline in the next few weeks,
the sooner we will get rid of this
ban-a headache to both motorists
and the administrators" he con-
tinued.
Transportation facilities to the
East Coast are now set up to bring
in hundreds of thousands of addi-
tional barrels of oil and gasoline
daily. Lifting of the nom Essential
driving ban and increasing the value
of coupons will soon be possible.
But the time when these steps
toward relief can be taken is largely
dependent on the extent of MOTOR
lists cooperation in the immediate
future. At the moment, the gasoline
supply in the East is distinctly un-
favorable Storms in the Gulf area
and delay in bringing the Big Inch
pipeline up to maximum delivery
have resulted in spotty local short
age conditions, that in some in
stances at least are quite severe.
by cooperating 100 per cent with
the ban on nonessential driving mo-
torists will make it possible for of
ficials to follow through on the
promise to lift the ban on Septem-
Der l."
Coiorful outdoor markets and
characteristic souvenirs won in the
fascinating sport of bargaining play
no small part in the enjoyment of
visit to Mexico. Their attractions are
ranked by many a traveller with the
magnificent scenery, the salubrious
climate and the good neighbor at
mosphere, and become tangible
treasures of pleasant journey to a
foreign land. .....-.
Souvenirs memorializing trips
within the United States quite often
are knick knacks hastily chosen in
last minute departure from rail-
road or bus station, and have all the
synthetic charm that factories in
New Jersey or Ohio can impart for
export to the Nations cities. That
is not true, however, of the home
spun products which were being de-
veloped in certain sections of the
United States before the war Grip
pied travel. The mountain people
of North Carolina, for instance, were
we'll on the way toward creating a
lively demand for their handiwork,
hardly lending itself to sale, say, in
Chicago or Wisconsin's woodland re-
sorts.
In Mexico City. vacationers with
the shopping instinct nnd a shop
virtually around every corner, and in
browsing among the array of mer-
cnandise for an alluring find" to
take home. learn more of the peo-
pie, their outlook, their graciousness,
through dealings with the shop
keepers. 1t is not only a business
experience, but social one.
But the climbing and rolling land
of Mexico is dotted with towns
where fame has descended on its
citizens for the production of GER
tain handicrafts. True, Mexico
City, being cosmopolitan, draws
these articles from outlying places
to its shops. but Specialist" often
find more delight in visiting a town
known for its serapes, jewelry or
tiles.
An interesting list of towns where
generations of families have built