Evening star., 1947-12-06
White House
|Gas-Conserviinq
plans Awaited
Congress Committees
Prepare to Probe
Fuel Shortage

While Senate and House Com
merce Committees prepared to in
vestigate the national fuel shortage
next week, an administration pro-
gram Of voluntary gasoline rationing
by motorists today was awaited by
the motoring public.
A White House appeal for volun-
tary curbs on pleasure driving to
conserve the country's depleted fuel
supply was predicted next week by
an Interior Department official, tes-
tifying yesterday before the Senate
House Economic Committee.
Despite the impending national
fuel shortage, however, officials said
the use Of coal in most Government
buildings here would keep Federal
workers warm this winter.
drastic Means" to Be Avoided.
The voluntary gasoline rationing
program was outlined by Robert E.
Friedman, counsel for the Interior
Departments oil and gas division.
He said it was designed to avoid
"the imposition of any drastic
means" such as authority to ration
fuel and fix prices.
Shortly before his statement, how
ever, Undersecretary of the Interior
Oscar Chapman had urged that
Congress vote emergency powers to
fix prices and ration oil and coal.
Hearing Set Tuesday.
Senator Tobey, Republican, of
New Hampshire, who will head a
Senate subcommittee inquiry into
the fuel situation, set Tuesday for
the start Of testimony by 26 wit
nesses from the Government, fuel
and transportation industries and
labor.
Chairman Wolverton announced
the House investigation, opening
Thursday, will be broad enough to
cover all types of fuel" including
sources, available supplies and pre-
sent and future demands.
Government officials here said the
threatened fuel oil shortage is mot
alarming" as far as Federal build
ings are concerned and added that
no difficulty has been experienced
thus far with gasoline for Federal
vehicles. They conceded, however.
that gasoline shortage might de-
velop before the winter is over.
Heating Plants Use Coal.
The heating plant at the Capitol
which burns coal, serves that build
ing, the Supreme Court, the Senate
and House Office Buildings, the
Library of Congress, the Government
Printing Office and the City Post
Office. David Lynn, architect of the
Capitol, said there is no coal short
age in sight.
The Central Heating Plant.
Twelfth and D streets S.W., near
the Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing, burns coal and serves most of
the downtown public buildings. It
gets its supplies directly from the
mines.
The Navy Annex in Arlington is
the biggest user of fuel oil, Federal
Works Agency officials said. The
oil is obtained through the Navy
which ships it by tanker from the
Gulf Coast to Norfolk, Va. It is then
brought in by barge up the Potomac.
The Federal Government has a con-
tract with L. P. Steuart & Bro, Inc,
to store 100000 gallons of fuel oil
here, officials said. -,-
! 10000 Tons Kept In Yard.
The Federal Bureau of Supply,
Treasury Department, keeps an av-
erage of 10000 tons of coal at its fuel
yard at Barney Circle as reserve
supply.
The Federal Government has no
gasoline storage facilities here ex-
cepting 2,500-gallon supply in the
Automotive Repair Shop, 40 L street
Sc. About 10000 gallons of gasoline
are used month.
Officials of the Federal Bureau Of
Supply said the main source of gas
oline supply is through contracts
with dealers at fixed prices.
If the gasoline situation becomes
acute, officials declared the dealers
will either have to ask relief from
their contracts or devise ways and
means of bringing it into Washing
u