Evening star., 1944-09-29
Black Market Sales
OF Gas Increasing,
D. T.. 0PA Reveals
Investigators Hompered
By Chonee in Method
Of Checking Coupons

Use Oi Dtdck market gasoline IN
Washington has increased during
the past three months and District
investigators are hampered in
stamping out OPA violations be-
cause coupon surveys have been
transferred to the regional ONCE
in New York, it was learned today.
While District OPA officials ad-
mitted the delay in receiving
counterfeit reports hampered their
investigations, they were reluctant
to criticize the new program until
it has had time to prove itself.
Previously the coupon sheets
turned over to local banks by gaso-
line station operators were picked
up once week by the local Office.
Special staff workers at the District
office checked every coupon, and
investigators began work immedi-
ately on cases showing counterfeit
coupon trade.
Cut Operations Greatly.
Under this system, the local Office
reduced black market from 7 per
cent of the 600 District stations in
February to l per cent in June.
On June Is directive from the
national Office ordered all coupons
sent to the regional Office for ex-
animation. Under this system sta
tion operators still turn in their
coupons into the banks, which in
turn forward them to the regional
Office.
At first shipments OF Cancelled
coupons by local banks were limited
to 10 pounds every two weeks, but
as weeks pickup of one grade
OF coupon often exceeds 70 pounds
this system soon was dropped and
the bimonthly shipments now in
clude all the banked coupons, with
10 pounds just limiting the~size of
the packages.
First reports returning to the
District office under the new pro-
gram did not arrive until some
time in August and since that time
they average about a month late.
Investigation on reports a month
old is very difficult, officials declare.
Can't Determine Decree.
While the reports indicate the
number of counterfeit coupons
passed at certain station, there
Is no way of determining the de-
gree of violation. For example. if
IN one weeks review there are onlv
a few counterfeits in comparison to
the amount of trade, the station
Is not held for violation.
Under this new system, however
the bulk of the business and the in
take OF a station in dollars and
cents is not included in the report.
The delay in the reports reach
ing the local Office might be ex-
planned in the fact that while the
regional office employs a large STAFF
TO handle the coupon examinations
this region covers Is per cent of
the Nations population and reports
Hood the central Office.
Control More Lax.
1t is believed that complete ex-
animation of every coupon sheet
is impossible under the new system
and consequently the control over
the black market is more lax. Sta
tlon operators, it was believed
realize the laxity in supervision
and consequently counterfeit opera
ton has increased.
While the voidlng of the A-l2 cou-
pom November 8 is expected to curb
the black market trade, officials be-
heVe there are great number OF
counterfeit ALL coupons still on the
market.
Local OPA officials pointed out
however, that the system of check
ing every coupon by the local Office
was unique to Washington and that
probably other districts were bene-
nteo more by the new system.