Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-01-12

0PA Detective Duo
Tours City in Vain 10
Find Pleasure Driver
Eoch Motorist Quizzed
Gives Answer That
Appears Legitimate
Continued From First Page3

Continued From First Page)
tered Is no careless adjective. One
door had been virtually stove In by
some impact. Investigation L. dropped
over to the car.
Where headed?" he asked.
Weary Answer Explains.
Home" said the youth YEARLY
Were from OPA," the questioner
explained, land we're checking IN
on the use of cars. Where have you
been?"
ITO work-overtime," the young
man replied. pulling out credentials
for a war plant. IT live over there
In Maryland. Here's my B card"
II guess" remarked Inspector L.,
walking away. che wouldn't 60 joy
riding in that thing"
We decided to visit, just outside
the District line, once notorious
gaming resort. If it were running,
and there were customers, there'd
be parked cars, up to no good pur-
pose. The place was dark, perhaps
BACKED out, but the searchlights
well known to former patrols still
played eerily on the black road
winding to the building from the
highway. We stopped close to the
building, just in case. 1t was no
time before an ominous figure ap-
preached and flashed a pocket light
in our faces. This reporter was glad
he was with Government men.
Running these nights7" asked
one of the detectives.
Gas Cuts Percentage.
Nope" said the obscure figure.
Amt no percentage in it," he
added. Folks can't get here With
out no gas and I guess this comes
under the head Of pleasure. At
least some people think So"
We backed out and returned
toward town along Rhode Island
avenue NE. We stopped while at
the Brentwood Village development,
where the movie was going. There
were IS or 20 cars parked in the
commodious lot. Patrons began
trickling out of the show. But, in
stead Of getting into the cars, they
walked away, in little groups, some
waiting for streetcars, others saun-
tering to closer homes.
One woman emerged from the
theater and boldly got into a car.
Investigator L. was beside the car
before she could drive of.
But I work at the Navy Yard"
she protested. See, here is my B
card"
Multiple Purpose Trip.
You're not supposed to use B
cards to 60 to the movies" said the
OPA man sternly.
But I didn't, except Just incl
dentally," she explained.
What did she mean incidentally
he demanded.
Well, she said, she'd been on
her way to the movies and had
stopped here to eat and get some
groceries, and then she'd gone to
the show. What was wrong with
that? How did she burn a pint
more Of gas by taking in the
movie?
See" she invited, and sure
enough, the back of her car was
cluttered with groceries.
He threw up his hands and
backed away. II guess you win,
lady" he said. Shopping is per-
missible, and OPA has ruled that
driving to dine at a restaurant
may be construed within the pale,
II circumstances justify.
Suspicious Case.
A young man left the theater,
took out some keys, made a feint
toward a car, then saw us and
walked away as if he'd never had
any other means of travel. He
didn't come back. The OPA men
TOOK the number Of the car. But
ne may have an alibi, If it was
his car.
A motorcycle policeman whirled
up and approached us suspiciously.
Inc Government men quickly
Identified themselves. They asked
him If he'd seen much pleasure
driving.
Why. no." he said, mot that
l could recognize. I think they're
obeying the law or rule or what
ever you'd call it. But I tell Won
these drivers are getting jittery.
mad one stop me today and ASH
me what he'd done. You ought
70 Know, l told him. Well, he
insisted he'd observed all the lights
coming out Rhode Island and
naont driven faster than a snail.
AND ne asked why I'd followed
MIN for mile. Why, I'd never
given the fellow a thought"
we learned, eventually, that most
OF the parked cars belonged to neo-
pie who lived in the Brentwood
Apartments.
AS we drove on down Rhode Is.
land, group of young persons
shouted after us: "Joyridersl
Slackers!"
~'sSA AAduhC EOun0.
On Florida avenue between Sew
enth and Tenth streets, there were A
number Of dubious cars, more trait
nc than we'd found anywhere else.
But there was no time or oppor-
tunlty to stop them all, and so the
investigators took down their num-
bers, the time and spot. They NAV
have been cruising for the fun of it
or on some social mission. We
suspected as much, but didn't know.
Along toward midnight all we
could find was truck, an Army jeep
and q few taxis. So we called it q
night.
The oPA men have been cruising
every night since the restriction was
clamped on. They said their ex-
perience had been much the same,
They've taken q few names, not a
great many. Other investigators
have made similar reports.
It all seems to add up to one sum
that Washington motorists are OBJ
serving the new rule remarkably
well.