Evening star., 1943-06-10
Checkup on Gas
for All
StateCarsUrged
Move Is Outgrowth
Of Investigation
Of Towes' Trip
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE, June 1O.-A recon-
mendation that the State and the
Office Of Price Administration un-
dertake joint survey of gasoline
mileage accorded all State equip
ment' was before Gov O'Conor to-
day as one outgrowth of the investi-
CATION Of State Controller j. Millard
Tawes' trip to Georgia.
Mr. Tawes has been summoned to
appear in the Baltimore Post Office
Building at pm. Monday, when a
three-man OPA panel will inquire
fully into his trip, made in a State
owned automobile.
State OPA Director Leo H. McCor-
mick last night ordered a full in
vestigation of the Georgia trip. in
cludlng the pleasure driving phase
on which the controller was exon
Grated Monday night by the Somer-
set County War Price and Rationing
Board.
Accepts Summons.
Mr.. TaWeS accepted the summons
to the open hearing through Charles
C. G.. Evans, former Baltimore City
solicitor, who will act as his counsel.
Mr.. Mccormick ordered the three
man panel to inquire into possible
misuse of C ration coupons as we'll
as the pleasure driving angle on
which the controller had been
cleared in u minutes by the Girls
field local board.
He also disclosed he had suggested
to Gov. OConor the appointment of
a tWo-man committee to make 6.
survey of gasoline mileage allot-
mentS to all State-owned motor
vehicles. He suggested that the COM
mittee be comprised of J. William
Eggleston, State rationing officer,
and Capt. Andrew T. Conner, State
mileage conservation administrator
Mr.. Mccormick. moving swiftly on
his return to the city after an
absence of several days. named the
three men who will hear Mr.. Tawes'
explanation of the Georgia trip-Mr.
Eggleston, William A. Graham. State
OPA rationing attorney, and F. Cliff
ford Hayne, assistant State officer.
ANPA to Consider Action.
Meanwhile, the executive board of
the American Newspaper Publishers
Association meeting tomorrow in
New York was scheduled to con-
slider whether any action should be
taken in the case of Rives Mat
thews, Princess Anne publisher who
first brought charges against Mr..
TaWes.
Mr.. Matthews is currently free in
$4,000 bond awaiting action of the
Somerset County grand jury on
charges he criminally libeled Mr.
Tawes in the June 3 issue of his
paper, the Somerset News.
The State OPAs notice to Mr.
Tawes said he was charged with vio-
lating rationing regulations in using
or permitting the use of an official
gasoline ration for non-e Essential
purposes for driving a 1914 Cadillac
bearing Maryland license No. SOL
900, from Crisfeld, Md, to Fort
Benning. Ca. and return, on or
about May %. 1943"
The notice charged him to bring
to the hearing all his ration books
his tire inspection certificate and tc
be prepared to certify as to the
speedometer mileage of the car.
Mccormick Issues Statement.
Coincidentally. Mr.. Mccormick
issued formal statement in which
he said he had been absent from
OPA headquarters for several days
while transacting business, but Il
have personally either approved or
directed all actions taken by the
OPA in the case"
He said that in fairness to Mr.
Tawes, the motoring public and to
Mr.. Matthews. he believed an ad-
ministrative hearing should be held
Mr.. Mccormick said he had no
authority over how State-owned cars
should be used, but said he had dis
cussed the mileage conservation
plan with the Governor before it
was placed in operation.
Il know from further conversa-
tions with the Governor that he de-
sires to conserve gasoline and tires
not only due to war conditions, but
also to keep the cost of transporta-
ton to the State at a minimum, -
the OPA director said.