Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-05-11
Residential Users
OF Fuel Oil Here
Spared Conversion
Requirement for Shift
To Coal Is Dropped by
Administrator of OPA

Residential users OF fuel Oil In the
District will not be compelled to
convert to coal next season after all,
it became known today, following a
new order yesterday by Price Ad-
ministrator Prentiss M. Brown.
Up to now, the OPA, along with
the Petroleum Administration for
War, has insisted that the CONVEX
sion policy had not been dropped
and that further conversions from
oil to coal would be encouraged.
AS matter of fact, an OPA order
issued during the middle of last
winter made it mandatory upon
householders to convert Or prove to
the satisfaction of their rationing
boards that conversion was unfeas-
ible. This order never was en-
forced.
Shift in OPA Policy.
All except householders in the
District and the oil-rationed Middle
Eastern States will still be required
to convert or explain satisfactorily
why they have not done so before
they will be given their next seasons
oil allotments. In New England,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Kan
sas, Nebraska and Missouri only
commercial consumers using more
than 10000 gallonss will be required
to convert In Florida and Georgia
no conversions will be required.
The shift in OPA policy, it was
understood, resulted from uncer-
tainty of deliveries of coal in some
sections of the country and from
the fact that materials for con-
version parts are scarce.
What the attitude of the PAW
may be regarding this reversal of
policy remains uncertain. Even
when the OPA was advocating con-
versions with its tongue in its
cheek Petroleum Administrator
Ickes was seriously and strenuously
urging more conversions and was
constantly furnishing statistics to
show how much oil had been saved
by conversions already made.
Pressure Applied in Two Cases
In only two instances was any
pressure applied in the District
against nonresidential establish
ments here. One of these involved
the second precinct police station
which ran out of fuel oil and was
refused further supplies because it
was classified as a commercial"
building The station eked out the
season with anti-mosquito oil which
the Commissioners found they had
in storage.
The other building affected was
that occupied by the District office
of the War ManpoWer Commission
and the United States Employment
Service at sos K street NV. The
management of this place, which
leases the premises to the Govern
ment, solved his problem by ripping
out the oil-burning facilities and
using cordwood until the weather
became warm enough to shut off the
plant for several days and convert
to the use of coal.
Converted Voluntarily.
A number of other commercial
establishments converted their heat
ing facilities voluntarily EARLY in
the heating season.
Meanwhile. the House Small Bus
mess Committee again recommend
ed that the price of crude be in
creased at least IS cents barrel
and asked for an end of depart
mental jealousies over jurisdiction
and authority" where controls over
the petroleum industry are exer-
cised
Such an increase has been recon-
mended by the PAW. but it was
turned down by the OPA. Instead.
Mr.. Brown suggested that a sub
sidy program be set up to encourage
exploration for new oil deposits
The Small Business Committee yes
terday criticized such proposed sub
sides.
The committee further asked that
definite responsibility be lodged
in the executives who will make
effective the recommendations of