Evening star., 1945-02-01
Il =
Shoppers Face
First 'brownout'
Test Tonight
Emergency Coal
Measures Begin
To Show Results 1

Washington will have Its first real
experience with the "brownout" to-
night when residents 20 shopping
IN the downtown sections. The order
to turn of unnecessary outdoor
lighting to save coal went into effect
last midnight.
The coal shortage, which the
brownout order is designed to help
alleviate, still Is being felt widely in
Washington but there are indications
the emergency relief measures have
stabilized that front. There was
some reduction in the number Of
certificates issued by police to those
whose coal bins were empty.
In the "a hours ending at 8 o'clock
this morning, police had issued 453
certificates and had rejected 43
applications. The average number
of certificates in the two previous
24-hour periods had been sos. The
police also circularized the precinct
headquarters with a list of seven
dealers designated As "bushel deal
ers" to supply consumers who use
coal IN That amount.
Many Signs Darkened.
The War Production Board order
to eliminate advertising and pro-
motional lighting already has been
put into effect voluntarily by many
establishments by the time the Or
der became effective. ...
Last night, along the F street
shopping district, there were only a
few Illuminated shop windows and
electric signs. This morning, some
electric signs that formerly were
on in the hours before dawn were
darkened, making traffic signals
stand out conspicuously.
A couple of restaurants in the
downtown area Haunted their elec-
trio signs despite the fact one was
not yet open and another would not
begin serving breakfast until shortly
after Z o'clock. The electric sign
in front of a garage advertised
parking, and bar identified itself
in neon tubing, although it would
not be opened for several hours.
Police Get Instructions.
Police have been instructed to use
persuasion with violators first and
only after that has proved ineffec-
tive to make formal reports of vio-
lations. Persistence in violating the
order may bring suspension of cleo
trio service, they we're told.
To handle emergencies in the coal
shortage in Fairfax County, the
Board of Supervisors appointed a
committee for the distribution OF
emergency coal. G. Wallace Carper,
chairman of the supervisors, heads
the committee. Other members are
R. M. Loughborough. county pur-
chasing agent. and Capt. Carl r.
Mcintosh, police chief Residents
out of coal should call Mr.. Lough-
borough at the courthouse.
Arrangements In, the. county for
inspections and certificates are ap-
proximately the same as in other
communities, with police turning
over certificates direct to coal deal
ers In the county to fill the orders.
Steel Plant Supplies Low.
c. j. Potter, deputy solid fuels ad-
ministrator, disclosed that at least
a dozen steel plants have less than
10 days supply of coal and many
other war industries are critically
low.
At the same time he reported
record-breaking mining activity in
the Southern Appalachian districts
He predicted new high in coal pro-
duction this week on the basis of
information from districts 7 and g.
which cover West Virginia. Eastern
Kentucky and Northeastern Tennes-
see.
Secretary of the Interior Ickes has
asked miners and operators to work
two Sundays-next Sunday and
February l8-to help relieve the
shortage.
Representative Roberts, Democrat,
of Virginia conferred with coal OPP
orators and gave his prescription for
meeting the emergency.
THE best answer 20 the current
coal shortage is a '48-hour week." he
said.
He cited statistics showing "ab-
senteeisrn among coal miners is con-
siderably above the national av-
erage." .:.- ,+.s, .'r- ~