Press Release, Hamman Exploration Company, Regarding Gas Rationing

HAMMAN EXPLORATION COMPANY EdraGood 2131 SAN FELIPE ROAD HAMMAN HsT . TEXAS Gasoline "DETAILS OF GASOLINE RATIONING" "Public reaction to the announcement of impending nationwide gasoline rationing suggests very clearly the necessity for extreme care in the formulation of details of the plan. This necessity is made all the greater and all the plainer by the fact that the rationing is actually to be imposed upon a commodity of which there is no shortage in order to conserve another commodity. Unless authorities are able to keep clear the complicated relation thus set up and are able themselves to remember at all times that it is rubber and not gasoline that is to be saved, there will be trouble at every turn. It is to be taken for granted that all Americans are willing to do anything in their power toward winning the war. This means that motorists are willing to give up their cars, if needed. But it does not mean that they will be willing to make sacri- fices just for the sake of sacrifices. In other words, in the case of gasoline ra- tioning both necessity and effectiveness must be shown if it is to have the willing co-operation of the public. Since there is no shortage of gasoline, the only justification for gasoline ra- tioning is rubber saving. This being true, only uses of gasoline which contributes to rubber consumption should be curtailed. Every other use of gasoline not only should be permitted but should be encouraged, since very important economic interests, not forgetting tax receipts by all forms of government, depend upon the production and sale of this commodity. It follows, also, that only where restricting the use of gasoline will actually save rubber should restriction be imposed, and only to the de- gree that it will save rubber. A prime difficulty which the rationers must overcome if the plan is to be at all successful arises from the fact that there are preferred users of rubber, who, for the same reasons that allow tires to be available to them when their present tires are worn out, must have also greater freedom in the consumption of gasoline. Thus the greatest field for rubber saving through gasoline restriction is closed at the very beginning. Tire rationing authorities in the various States have asserted that it is the motorists who have priority rating for tire purchases who are failing to hold down speed and confine themselves otherwise to a regimen of driving which will save tires. It is our own observation that very nearly all motorists in the class which can not get new tires or retreads have already and voluntarily cut down their driving, that they drive carefully, and, in general, are using every means to make their tires last longer. Therefore, it seems, that gasoline rationing will produce very little if any results among this class of motorists. In this view of the situation, cover- ing the two great classes of motorists - those who have tire priority and those who have not - it does not appear that there is a very happy prospect for actual rubber saving in the entire gasoline rationing scheme. The public hopes for the best, both in respect to the judgment of the authori- ties who make the rationing rules and in respect to the results in rubber saving. It is to be presumed that failure anywhere along the line will lead the Government to the remaining expedient, which is requisition of tires in the hands of private motor- ists to be used for building up a stock of serviceable tires which may be sold later to keep running the automotive vehicles which are deemed necessary to the economic life of the Nation. There are grave misgivings that this would be the better step at this time." (An Editorial, Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram, September 15, 1942) "!SHARE THE MISERY!" "Texans' protest against Nationwide gasoline rationing is due to no desire to avoid their share of war sacrifice. On the contrary, as anyone conversant with the facts knows, this State has been in the forefront of all phases of the war effort. The complaint of Texans is that gasoline rationing will cripple the industry on which their economy mainly depends, and to which the State and counties look for a major share of their tax revenues - without bringing the Nation any compensating benefits. is Continued next page - please