16 Gallons a Month

Before Thanksgiving Day, the 20,000,000 U.S. motorists who have thus far escaped gasoline rationing will line up for their books. Like Eastern motorists, who have been on rations since May 15, most of them will get regulation "A" books good for 16 gallons a month. A few, mostly war workers who share rides, will be able to talk their ration boards into "B" or "C" books for a supplementary allowance.

Nationwide rationing was announced promptly last week by the nation's new Rubber Tsar, William M. Jeffers. It will begin as soon as Washington can distribute the paraphernalia: 60,000,000 new application blanks and coupon books, 91,000,000 gummed sheets for filling stations to keep coupons on, 100,000,000 copies of auditing forms, regulations and instructions.

Other changes that rubber conservation will bring to the U.S. scene:

> A 35-m.p.h. national speed limit, for everybody except the armed services, fire engines, police cars, ambulances and doctors on call, takes effect this week.

> All motorists will have to have OPA agents inspect their tires every 60 days, to avoid wear beyond the minimum standards for recapping.

> The flying red horse (Mobilgas), fireman's hat (Texaco), sea shell (Shell Petroleum) and other symbols of pre-war preferences in gasolines may still swing in the wind, but the pumps under the signs are soon likely to squirt only one kind and color. Last week WPB empowered the Petroleum Coordinator to pool gasoline distribution, which will probably mean mixed brands and minimum standards, with only the "regular" grade available. Even this will not be so regular as before: octane ratings were cut to around 74 last February; henceforth, according to one industry guess, they will run about 72.

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