Evening star., 1943-06-09

sponse to a State OPA query abou
the use of &c" coupons
The enforcement attorney sait
the hearing would be public ant
would be held in the post offic,
building in Baltimore and that du'
notice would be given the Statt
controller Mr.. TaWes. Mr. Mund.
said, would have the right to bs
represented by counsel.
Board Did Not Is-ue Coupons.
LAS the Crisfield board point
out" Mr.. Mundy said, 1T did no
issue the ration coupons to Tawe!
and Its proceedings have been en-.
tirely in connection with the pleas.
ure driving charges.
The hearing as to alleged mis-
use of c coupons involved an en-
tirely different matter and the pro.
ceedings being followed is author
lied by the pertinent gasoline regu.
lations."
The Somerset board said it con-
sidered the case against Mr.. Tawes
closed book after hearing Mon
day night at which Mr.. Tawes was
exonerated in II minutes.
Meanwhile. Gov. O'Conor sale
private use of State-owned auto.
mobiles has never been justified,
adding that this policy is not new
one adopted since gasoline ration
ing He declined to comment specif-
friv 10 I11
Mr.. TaWes.
Gov. OConor called attention te
the appointment of a mileage con-
servation director. Capt. Andrew T
Conner of the State police, and the
appointment of a committee early in
1912 to regulate use of State cars.
Through these two agencies" he
said. my supervision of the use OF
all State -owned cars has been eX-
ercised. I use the word all because
at no time, has there been any belief
on my part other than that all
State-owned cars were governed by
these regulations
Mr.. Matthews. who first brought
the charges against Mr.. Tawes, was
arrested yesterday after States At
torney Prentiss Evans had sought
a warrant against him. Arraigneo
before Trial Magistrate Fred N
Holland at Crisfeld, Mr.. Matthews
waived preliminary hearing, and the
bond was posted for him.
OPA Questions Board.
A member of the Somerset boa rd
wired the State OPA last night in
response to query that board men,
bers had questioned Mr.. Tawes be-
fore the hearing. They were satisfied
with his verbal statement that he
visited a number of State capitols
on official business, said the board
member. E. M. Milbourne.
Mr. Milbourne, acting in the tenn
porarv absence of Board Chairman
John S. Holland. said the decision
was rendered on the specific charge
of violation as listed in your letter
of June 81
The State OPA had written to
the Crisheld board on June that
a complaint had been filed charging
that Mr. Tawes violated a section
of OPA orders 'by using an automo-
bile for non-essentlal driving in
making the trip to Georgia. That
letter did not mention B and c
ration coupons.
Mr. Milburne wired Mr.. Mundy
last night that Mr. TaWes told
local board members that as
State property custodian he planned
his itinerary and visited State capi-
tails at Raleigh, Columbia and Au-
eusta on official business
Mr.. Tawes said in Annapolis late
yesterday he did not wish to COM
ment on the State OPA's action in
asking the Somerset board to re-
open the case.
The board was fully aware of
every phase of the matter" he
told the Associated Press. "and on
that knowledge based their deci-
SION
In his wire to the Somerset board
Mr.. Mundy had said that from
newspaper reports it appears that
your board last night disposed of
the matter solely en- the ques-
ton as to whether he was using
his car in violation of the pleasure
driving ban.
Mr.. Taues is quoted in this
mornings (Baltimore) Sun as say
ing I'm inclined to think C coupons
were used to buy the gas to drive
from Crisfield to Georgia and back.
AS c coupons are issued for specific
occupational uses and are not per-
mitted to be used for non-essen-
tial driving, it would seem that
consideration should be given by
your board to that phase of the
cacn if II hos not q lrno d1 dnrae Ga !,