Turn Down the Heat

The public last week heard the chilling facts of fuel-oil rationing: why (lack of transportation), how (coupon books), how much (to heat homes to 65 degrees). But WPBoss Donald Nelson still kept to himself two other vital details: when (OPA experts guessed Oct. 15) and where (Nelson's special rationing committee week before had agreed on all States east of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico, but this was not certain).

Some sort of oil rationing for the Midwest is necessary to keep the East from freezing. Government experts figured that the East with stern gas rationing as well as fuel-oil rationing can get by with a winter minimum of 1,400,000 barrels daily including important military requirements (this compares with a former winter use of about 1,700,000 barrels daily of which 550,000 was gasoline and 350,000 fuel oil). The total eastern supply available by current means of transportation needs to be boosted another 200,000 barrels a day to reach this minimum.

Fuel men say there will be plenty of coal for Eastern home owners with coal furnaces if they get it in within 30-40 days. Consumers who wait until cold weather may find themselves worse off than oil furnace owners because then army ordnance shipments will be at a peak. Of 1,400,000 Eastern homes with oil furnaces, 700,000 can be converted easily to coal, but only 40,000 have been changed so far. The ration plan proposes that home owners who can convert furnaces but fail to do so shall get no extra ration.

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