Evening star., 1943-05-21

IL Tor workers needing II Tor trans
portation to and from their places
of employment
Standard Oil Co. officials reported
the arrival of two barges here, car
rying 81 900 barrels Of gas. They
said the meager supply would not
help much. but more is expected
over the week end. Other major
distributors will share in this allot-
ment. thus helping keep a few scat
tered stations open.
Once the normal flow Of gasoline
to the East is resumed it will be sew
eral days before local conditions
are restored to normal because Of
the problem of delivering it to serv-
Ice stations. Most dealers expected
the shortage to continue through the
latter part of next week at least.
A line OF 80 to IS trucks, loaded
with market produce, waited yester-
day from early morning to late
afternoon at filling station at the
Union Wholesale Market for gas,
but tanks of all eventually were
filled.
Trucks Supply Army Posts.
John Maddox. station operator
said gas was siphoned out OF some
tanks in the morning to supply
trucks making runs to Fort Belvoir
and other Army posts. He reported
conditions were normal today with
his tanks still containing 300 gal
Ions Of fuel. but expected another
jam Monday morning If he receives
no additional supplies over the
weekend.
Trucks OF dealers with establish
ments located at the market can get
as much as they desire. Mr.. Maddox
said but outside" delivery trucks
were limited to one T unit of five
gallons each, while service for pas
senger cars had been discontinued
completely.
Capital Transit gets first call on
gasoline imported into the District
with dairies next and transit truck
ing stations third. The market sta
tion comes next, Mr.. Maddox said
Off1cials of the War Food Admin
istration, the Once of Price Admin
istration, and the Petroleum Admin
istration for War, meanwhile, were
mapping plans for relieving the
acute farm situation which threatens
to leave many vital war crops un-
planted this month. The condi-
tions were most serious in the north
east section and along Maryland s
Eastern Shore.
Davis Wants Quick Action.
War Food Administrator Davis
has appealed to Petroleum Admin
istrator Ickes. Defense Transporta
tion Director Eastman and Price
Administrator Brown to take steps
to bring about a solution of the
farm fuel crisis.
No details of the communicat tions
sent to the three officials were avail
able, although it was believed that
Mr.. Davis underscored the VIA
announcement late yesterday that II
many food crops are not planted
within the next few days. fields will
60 implanted until next spring.
Reports from VIA field Offices
indicate complete lack OF gasoline
in northern counties of Virginia. the
Delmarva peninsula, most of Mary
land and Long Island. Extremely
short areas reported include New
Jersey, Delaware. Eastern Pennsyl-
vania. portions of New York State
and all of New England. VIA said.
up until the last few DAYS efforts
OF agriculture war boards, local
representatives of PAW and the
farm esuppliers of petroleum prod
ucts have prevented tractors in most
local areas from standing idle for
more than short periods" the VIA
announcement said. Now, how
ever. the situation has become criti-
cal"
Delay in planting will drastically
affect not only vegetable production.
1t was said. but also poultry and
dairy products.
An oil dealer close to the situa-
ton said abuse of the coupon system
had resulted in the consumption of
$4,000 barrels daily in excess of the
356,000 barrels allocated Eastern
States
Adding to the complications. ag-