Evening star., 1943-05-26

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from which point it is transported
by tank car or barge to this area.
The problem involves obtaining
tank cars to haul gasoline and rout-
Ing them. Midwestern floods inter-
rupted railroad traffic, causing
freight, which formerly went through
st. Louis en- route east, to be di-
rected southwark through New Or
leans and thence eastward. With all
freight moving over already badly
choked lines a slow down in the
movement of gasoline was inevitable.
Won't Replenish Storage.
PAW said it was bending every
effort to supply the essential needs
of the East and to distribute avail
able supplies. 1t will not tackle the
problem of replenishing depleted
storage supplies until some SEM
blance of normalcy has been restored
in daily operations.
Meanwhile, Office of Defense
Transportation officials announced
that the first impact of Midwestern
floods was reflected in the sharp
reduction of tank car deliveries
of oil in the East for the 24-hour
period ending at 1901 am. Tuesday,
which showed a 16.5/10 per cent de-
cline in last weeks daily average.
Arrivals at Is Eastern terminals.
nominally receiving about 80 per
cent of the total rail movement of
oil, numbered 1929 cars, bringing
approximately 700,693 barrels of oil,
ODT reported. Last weeks daily
average was 1886 cars, carrying
about 859, 1000 barrels.
In the face Of these figures, ODT
observed that its earlier prediction
that the flood will shrink deliveries
at least one-fifth, and possibly one
half, appears to be reasonable in
view of disrupted rail services.
The most serious local condition
apparently concerned physicians,
many of whom were unable to visit
the sick because of empty gas tanks
District OPA headquarters said
something might be done" to allie
viate the condition, but no concrete
plan had been adopted today.
Mason Offers Suggestion.
Commissioner Guy Mason suggest
ed that one pump be set aside at
designated stations in several areas
throughout the city for servicing
cars of doctors, nurses, ambulances
and other emergency vehicles.
Bus lines, shortened since the fuel
crisis became acute several days ago,
were operating, and Capital Transit
officials said no further cuts in
service are contemplated, pending
a survey of conditions.
All bus lines extending into nearby
Virginia and Maryland are operat-
ing on readjusted schedules, but
with little or no change in rush.
hour itineraries. Midday operations
were tailored drastically to conform
to the Office of Defense Transpor-
tation's directive to reduce mileage
by 40 per cent.
In Baltimore streetcars and buses
were operating at about IS per cent
of normal today, hours after a
scheduled strike of the full member
ship of the Amalgamated Associa-
ton of Street, Electric Railway and
Motor Coach Employees of America,
AFL, had gone into effect.
The Prince Georges County Cham
ber of Commerce went on record be-
fore the Maryland Public Service
Commission as opposing abandon
ment of Capital Transit Co. bus
service on several lines in the
county.
Conference Is Scheduled.
Daniel M. Greene, a member of
the chamber, was scheduled to con-
fer today with Frank Harper, ex-
ecutive secretary of the commission
in an effort to seek resumption of
the service.
Chamber officials said bus service
to Greenbelt had been discontinued
entirely and that there was no bus
service beyond Riverdale
They also protested that the trans
it company had abandoned Sunday
service although the Office of De-
fense Transportation had specified
that such program was not to go
into effect until tomorrow.
The transit company last year at
tempted to discontinue certain lines
in the county but the Public Service
Commission would not approve the
proposal.
Mr.. Harper said that elimination
of 20 per cent of the entire bus sys-
tenn serving the District and parts
of Maryland and Virginia was an
emergency measure and as such was
approved by the PSC.
The move will result in some in
convenience to Prince Georges
County citizens, Mr.. Harper ad-
mitted, but added that in most areas
there is railroad service.
Meanwhile, Morris Fox. CO.
owner of the Washington Trucking
Terminal, accused the petroleum
Office of giving truckers the run
around" in the present situation.
Mr.. Morris said his efforts to OBJ
tain a priority for trucks hauling
ammunition as well as perishable
produce were unavailing and that
he was the victim of buck passing" )"
He said he talked with five Off
cials, including one in New York,
without obtaining any satisfaction.
Darden Urges Conservation.
Gov. Darden of Virginia urged all
citizens of that State to do their
utmost to save every drop of gaso-
line in the current emergency. Bus
service in Richmond, cut 10 per cent
yesterday, was to get similar fur
ther reduction today. Service in
Norfolk already has been cut 20 per
cent.
Commanding officers of all Army
posts. camps and stations in the
Third Service Command, embracing
posts in Maryland, Virginia and
Pennsylvania, were ordered to re
double efforts to curtail the use of
passenger and cargo transportation
and other gasoline consuming equip
ment." The order was signed by
Brig. Gen. Edwin Butcher, Chief of