Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-08-18
OPA Hides
Iniustices b
In Fuel Oil
MaIon AssaiIs Newest
Distribution Program
BY PAUL MALLON

'i'Ill t'illlNld lGf dilWdIDG IQel
on was promised hy OPA about
>JN weeks ago.
The papers were filled with
Official publicity and an OPA
publicity Official called me on
the telephone 10 say he knew
he~ glad I wouid hc 20 learn
that the old square footage for
mula was being corrected and
that wives and widows of men
away fighting this nations bat
Ties would not be subjected to
the dangers of III health or
death by insufficient heating al
loWanccS this winter.
Everything was gong to be
improved
An outline of policy changes
came IN the mail next morning,
and they sounded quite promis-
ing
However, no specific orders
were IN the ottttfnc, 50 t--rir-
cIded 10 delay my cheering until
saw what The OPA did not
just what II SAID ii would 90.
THE fuel ration application
blanks sent out through the
local rdfiOnInE boards rev
weeks later limited al a far diff
ierent state OF affairs.
The applications were Simpli-
fled, but they left the home
owner only two alternatives
TO take a voluntary reduction
or get the same as last year.
The blank did not allow any
opportunity even 10 ask for an
increase.
In order 10 get any oil al
all, the home owner was re-
CURED 10 accept the iniuStices
of last year, or voluntarily re-
fund some OF his former allow
anCe 10 the government.
An indefinite promise was
made that sometime later some
how an opportunity would be
offered for a citizen at least 10
ask correction. Somehow lately,
later never comes.
Nevertheless, | wrote a letter
10 my local rationing board
asking for an increase and sent
II along with the form appli-
cation. - -
The board replied that the
old square fOotage basis of al
location was being followed this
year, despite all the national
publicity TO the opposite effect.
No increase, therefore. could
be granted 10 me, although my
house must be heated, as all
others. on a cubic footage basis.
II a man had a ceiling a mile
high, the government allow
ance would still be given 10
him on the square footage of
his floor SpaCo-the same al
lowance as a siX-foOt ceiling.
II his house is out in the
country on a wIndswcpt hill.
square footage rules the same
as in a row house in town.
where only two sides are ex-
posed 10 the weather.
] CHECKED my neighborhood
Il and dealers and could find
only one person in my county
who was permitted an increase
this year. although several were
cut Some few increases had
been allowed in an adjoining
town in the case Of small
houses. but last years alloca-
ton has been frozen or cut
there too in general although
the supply Of oil available here
should be much larger than
last wear
The army has been taking us
oil from gulf ports in heavy
quantities the last so days, |
found. from announced figures,
on trucks. so that its demand
on the eastern SeabOard had
been hehtencd tremendously
Unit coupons were restored
10 10 gallons from nine each,
but tho unfair square footage
formula remains.
Upon further investigation,
was informed by A local ration
inc board man that while the
OPA put ont its national pub
llcitv and filed the papers with
promises Of increases and adj
iustmente. It's orders 10 the
local rationlnC boards advised
sharper cutting this wear.
Apparently. the fuel division
~ OPA Cthe most criticized
division Of that much criticized
administration has said ono
thing publicly and done the OBJ
po~itc privately leaving the
local boards 10 face the music
4 GOVERNMENT which at
4 n tcWptS 10 deceive lis INo-
ple is foolish enough, but a
government attempting 10 dc
ceNe tho people who already
know tho truth from their own
experience is beyond dcScrip-
tion i'm the rcalmS of sanity
II seems. difficult for some
bureaus ~ This government TO
hc either frank or practical
I do not know why. II Of
fcialS find that less fuel oil Will
he available this winter, deSplte
AN their pipe lines and their
promises. YOU would naturally
CTTF'C'T rT6TiY ~ Wy ST 'a-r-If rlcto
CO-opcraff0n
But official deception Of poo
Dlt D." the government, eSpe-
c'qnv decentons which can he