Evening star., 1943-05-28
Eastern Gas Dealers
Urge Nationwide
Restrictions on Use
Appointment Of Ickes
As Czur Of Industry
Also Proposed
(Picture on Page BIZ

Placing Of the entire Nation
on the same restricted basis as
Eastern Seaboard motorists in
the current gasoline shortage
was urged today in a statement
issued by the Eastern States
Gasoline Dealers Association at
a conference here.
Issued jointly by John Dressler OF
New Jersey chairman, and Harry
Wainwright, Washington representa-
tive, the statement also called for
the appointment of Petroleum Ad-
ministrator Harold Ickes as car of
the gasoline and oil industry with
powers comparable to those exer-
cised by William Jef1ers in the rub
Der industry.
Meanwhile, a clue to the severe
shortage was seen today in a report
that consumption during last month
was only about one third less than
that used in April, l942. despite sup
posedly stringent rationing restric-
tions by the OPA.
Tldne uel Not Included.
A tax report of the District tax as
SCISSOR for April showed that revenue
was paid on 8,276121 gallons as COM
pared with 13,15Oe46 gallons in April
a year ago, before rationing began
This represents a decrease of 4874
Bis gallons.
In the April, 1912, report of the
assessor. however 508.2l7 gallons of
aviation fuel were included, while
aviation gasoline did not appear in
the report for last month, The
actual reduction in tax-paid gaso-
line sold to rationed drivers. there
lore. was only 4,366,598.
The gasoline dealers offered three
recommendations to alleviate the
present situation and prevent a re-
currence of the shortage: 1
keeping in force priority system
On gasoline coupons, (2) limiting
supplies of gasoline dealers on
uniform quota basis instead of the
present coupon system; and go set
ting up county or regional advisory
or appeal boards made up of two
Government officials, two supplv
and oil company men, and two
dealers
Could Have Averted Black Market
Inc present breakdown could
nave been averted, the statement
said, had OPA accepted quota ra-
tlonlng OF gasoline to dealers, rather
than coupon rationing, when re-
strictlons first went into effect
Such plan, it stated, would have
eliminated the incentive for a cou-
pom black market: would have
eliminated the use of loose coupons
by unscrupulous dealers and would
have made any conterfeit ring
operations Improbable.
The dealers also stated that the
quota system would have prevented
past crises arising from the over
issuance of B and C coupon books,
which led to the use of $4,000 barrels
OF gasoline a day in excess of the
356,O00 barrels day set by PAW
for the East Coast.
Theorists Blamed.
Poor, impractical planning by eco
nomic theorists was blamed for
chaotic conditions in gasoline dis
tribution. Such planners, the dealers
statement said, had lost sight of the
fact that automobiles now in use
must last three years or more and
are the backbone of war industry
transportation. 1t is high time, it
continued, that practical men ham
die this gasoline rationing muddle."
Commenting on the tax assessors
report, oil company officials pointed
out that none of the gasoline listed
In the report was for military pur-
poses. Only that which was actual
ly sold in the District, through ordi-
nary channels, is included in the re-
port. The list includes % oil COM
panles and nine post exchanges at
military camps. 1t was pointed out
the gasoline sold at the Army posts
goes to servicemen or civilians on
the post who are subject to the same
rationing regulations as other
motorists.
District OPA officials could not be
reached for comment on the sig
niflcance of the figures. Nor was it
possible to obtain statistics which
would show the number of gasoline
ration coupons which have been
legally issued.
Unnecessary Driving Blamed.
A spokesman for the Petroleum
Administration for War, however,
said his Office has been saying right
along that motorists were doing too
much unnecessary driving" He re-
fused to say whether gasoline black
markets in this area was factor in
the failure to reduce consumption
more than the 80 per cent indicated
by the assessor reports.
1t has been generally reported
that the Illegal use of coupons, and
even counterfeit gasoline coupons
which have found their way into this
area, have made tremendous inroads
on the supply of gasoline here. Pc
troleum Administrator Ickes made
reference several weeks ago to the
large number of illegal coupons
which were being used in the East
And oIdnI that n,,ar hn