Evening star., 1943-02-23
Ration Book2
Registration
Starts Slowly
Heavy Rush Expected
Later in Day When
Federal Offices Close

pOTJdnU war RdClOn BOOK NO.
started slowly in the District
schools early this morning. but
gained impetus during the day
as 5000 teachers and volunteer
workers signed up the first con-
tingent of the city's $4,000 resi-
dents.
After hasty survey, DR.. J. C.
Cantrell, assistant superintendent Of
schools in charge of the rationing
program. reported that the first two
hours of registration had been dis
tressingly light" DR.. Cantrell said
that the registrations were proceed
ing smoothly. but he feared a heavy
rush later in the day when the
Government Offices close.
Virtually all of the early registrants
reported they had no excess canned
goods on hand. Each applicant Is
allowed only five cans or jars of the
products on the rationed list. One
housewife at the Jefferson Junior
High School at Seventh and H
streets S.W.. however, declared she
and her husband had 229 cans in
stock. This applicant lost all of her
eight-point coupons-half the total
value of her book-and a notation
was made in the inside of the ration
book cover indicating the number
OF cans that could not be deducted
from the current book. s..
10 Were in Line,
At the Charles Young Platoon
School, Twenty fourth street and
Benning road NE, only about 10 out
of the first 200 applicants today re-
ported they had excess cans OF food
in their cupboards. So unexpectedly
light was the amount of tailoring
that had to be done that the system
OF handling registrants at the school
was thrown out of balance, and there
were as many as 10 persons waiting
their turns in the auditorium at one
time.
In sharp contrast, however, regis
trars at the Taft Junior High School.
Eighteenth and Perry streets NE,
reported that between 65 and rs per
cent of the ration books issued there
had to be TAILORED" for
canned goods or for coffee. A coupon
/ for every pound of coffee in excess Of
one pound per person on hand last
November % must be removed from
Book No. l. f.. s,. .f
| "a. tn "Do Names Todav
Residents with names beginning
with letters from "A" through %"
were to report at the schools some-
time before 9 o'clock tonight. Most
OF those appearing this morning, it
was reported, were persons whose
names fitted into this category.
School officials have urged appli-
cants to abide by the schedule to
prevent crow6ing on any one day.
Early registrants were almost uni
formly cooperative, and with a few
exceptions, they were reported as
having an intelligent understanding
Of the new rationing program. Oc-
casionally registrars had their prob
lens. though. At one school in the
Southwest section, teachers reported
that a number of housewives came
in willing to abide by the regulations
but they did not understand what
commodities were rationed and
| which ones were still available with
out coupons.
Generals Mother Appears.
Although she has been LII and Is
still in a weakened condition, Mrs.
Charles c. Clark, mother of 1t. Gen.
Mark w. Clark, commanding general
of the 5th United States Army
in North Africa, insisted on going
in person to the Adams School at
Nineteenth and California streets
NV. to get her new ration book.
Mrs. Clark, who lives at 1910 Kalo-
rama road NV, was ordered by her
doctor not to climb any stairs. A
| registrar was sent to the lower hail.
way of the school, therefore, to issue
the book.
Mrs. Clark presented detailed
list of the small stock of canned
goods she had on hand, but she had
not more than five of the rationed
products on her list and did not lose
any coupons. Her coffee supply on
November %. she reported, was very
low.
Il wanted to come and register
myself" she said. because I think
that's the right thing to do"
She talked for several minutes
with the registrar about her son and
her late husband, who was a colonel
in the Army.
Both my husband and my son
always did their share in war" she
told the registrar.
Gwynneth Underwood, third
officer In the Womens Royal Naval
Service, attached to the British Ad-
miralty staff here, went through her
first American rationing registration
fCaa PrCTCTp ATTnN Don> ~