Evening star., 1943-01-10
Only 7 U. 5. Bureaus
Exact Rigid Control
Over Use Of Cars
Justice and Labor Keep
Close Tabs, Others
Exercise Discretion

A survey OF eight major Govern
ment departments regarding use o
office business" departmental pas
senger cars has revealed that onl,
two departments have rigid con
troll system and two others can make
reasonably sure that all driving il
strictly essential
In departments without systematic
controls bureau heads exercise theil
discretion to determine whether use
Of Government car is essential, the
survey indicated.
Those relying on bureau heads fol
decision and designation of use Of
cars are the War, Navy Treasury
and Interior Departments.
Wide Variance on Control.
Both the Justice and Labor De-
partments limit the time and cir
cumstances under which a car may
be used. The Commerce and Agri-
culture Departments keep reports
on car use through their chauffeurs
The actual mechanics of checking
on the use Of cars assigned to Gov
ernment departments are at wide
variance, the survey showed. One
department, when queried on how it
uses 1t cars, had the telephone oper-
ator arrange three-Way conversa-
ton so officials could make them
selves clear"
This wide variance in car control
The Star learned, was discussed
yesterday afternoon at meeting of
representatives of various Govern
ment departments outside of the war
and Navy Departments.
The meeting held in a conference
room of the Budget Bureau in the
Winder Building, Seventeenth and
F streets NV, was billed as con-
ference of all agencies for the stand
ardization of car reporting it was
said.
Sometimes Misused.
Frank L. Barton of the Budget
Bureau, who was connected with
arranging the meeting, stated after
it ended that he was in no posi-
ton to tell anything at this time"
Some of the department spokes-
men expressed surprise when asked
about the use of their cars. saying
they had cut out unnecessary usage
CT the cars since the advent of gas
rationing. Several officials said they
had been issued directives along
this line in recent months.
A Commerce Department spokes-
man replied pointedly. I'VE have
clean bill of health-you don't see
any Commerce Department cars
waiting around in front of depart
ment stores or used to call for
officials at their homes"
An official of another depart
ment expressed equal awareness that
Government cars are sometimes
misused. He said he knew of "iso-
lated instances" in the past, but
that he knew of none recently
The Justice Department keeps a
detailed log on every vehicle. The
Use of any car requires the filling
out Of form which tells the time
the car went out and the time the
car returned to the department
garage.
Officials get Educated"
With the exception of the Attor-
ney General, no Official can keep
a car waiting for him outside any
building more than Is minutes,
while transacting business. Drivers
have been instructed to return to
the department garage after wait
ing Is minutes, whether or not the
official in question has finished his
business.
A spokesman pointed out that
after being left few times Of
1lcials soon get educated"
A similar system of having the
chaffeur return to his garage after
waiting period of time for an Of
fetal is in vogue at the Labor De-
partment. An official explained that
use of departmental car entails
first getting an application from
the chief clerks Office and then put
ting down the need for the car
and where it will be taken
The Commerce Department, an
offlcial said, requires permission Of
the chief clerk of a department for
use of a car An actual check is
kept, he asserted. by daily time re-
ports from the chauffeurs, showing
the places at which they called and
how many miles they drove.
Strictly Accountable.
At the Agriculture Department,
according to all official bureau
chiefs give permission for the use
of cars. Drivers report to the bu-
reaus for which they work on the
time they took the car out and
when it returned.
inquiries at the war ana navy
Departments brought the responses
that the pleasure driving ban had
not caused any new orders with
regard to use of departmental cars
Both agencies explained their ve-
hicles are being used for 'ofhciaI
business only" under existing regu-
lations.
The Interior Department relies or
the judgment of bureau heads wher
it comes to use of its cars. They
are held strictly accountable" ar
official said.
The official said that bureau head,
make arrangements for a car with
the car center supervisor. He addec
that. in the case of the department!
messenger service, cars have to b.
used often in the interest of speed.
The Treasury Department also re.
lies on its bureau heads to contro
the use of departmental cars. Al
official expressed belief that tn,
bureau heads fully understand re-
cent directives for the use of car
only when the elements of necessit,
arise" He said there were no form
to be filled out when a car is used