The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-14
Pleasure Driving
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(Continued from Page D tember If tie ban on non-essen- tial driving is observed during the balance of August" and held out hope that the value of coupons could be increased later in Septem- Der sufficient supplies can be built up in the east"
 Petroleum Administrator Harold L. Ickes, for the first time, allo- cated specific amount of gasoline for daily use in the midwest and southwest-about 15 per cent less than the civilian consumption in June. Henceforth, 15 middle western states will get 480,000 barrels a day and six southwestern states will get 10000 barrels 8 day.
 Defense Transportation Director Joseph B. Eastman announced that necessary commercial motor trans portation - busses, taxicabs and trucks--will not be affected by the cuts, and enough supplementary gasoline has been allotted ODT for distribution in the east so the 40 per cent cut in commercial trans portation can be rescinedd prompt ly.
 To Clarify Rules
 None of the various statements is- sued gave clear picture of all of the reasons behind the new moves. But Bowles is scheduled to discuss the situation on the Blue Network Sunday (8:15 p. m., EWT) an may clarfy 1t then.
 Ickes, proponent of equitable civilian gasoline distribution east of the Rock Mountains, said in his statement that the only reason customers have been receiving less gasoline than others was lack of adequate transportation.
 "The transportation difficulty has now been overcome" he said. There is, therefore, no reason why the east should not be placed on a parity with the rest of the coun- try"
 He said, however, that the reduc- tions in the middle and southwest would not make themselves substan- italy felt in terms of more gasoline for the east for at least two weeks.
 Ickes explained that the only curtailment of civilian gasoline con- sumption that has been in effect outside of the east has been that recommended by the rubber direc- tor for the purpose of saving tires; that heretofore the middle and southwest have been able to supply all fthe petroleum products for which there has been transportation and stil lhave enough for them selves.
 Crude oil Shortage
 "The reason why reduced civilian consumption of gasoline is neces- sary in the middle west and south west now" he said, "is, fundament- ally, an already-existing shortage of crude oil in the middle west, and an impending shortage overall brought to head in both cases by the huge military requirements for petroleum products"
 BoWles announced that the new gasoline setup In the middle and southwest was a direct result of the new IckeS' curtailments.
 with this reduction in the sup plies allotted to us," he said, mo course was possible but to cut the "A", "B" and c" coupons as we have done"
 Gas Ban On
 The states affected:
 Middle west Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Iilli- nois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Me- braska, South Dakota and North Dakota.
 South west - Alabama, MissiSsip- pi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and New Mexico.
 Curtailments
 BoWles announced that the cur tailment in the new areas will in- clude
 The maximum allotment for gaso- line for in-courSe- work driving, except for those entitled to pre- ferred mileage ("C" books), will be reduce dimmediately from 720 miles to 480 miles a month.
 The amount of occupational driv- ing in "A" book vii lbe reduced from 12O miles to 60 miles, but the amount of family, or non occupa- tional, driving will be increased from 90 to 130 miles.