Salt Lake Telegram | 1943-02-25 | Page 3 | Secret Ration Board Stirs Capital Storm

r. r j r Secret ecret Ration Board Stirs S Capital Storm j KENNETH L. L DIXON Bf D nr WASHINGTON Feb 25 25 The UP-The The story of a semisecret special ration board set board set service per f n up to supply the congressmen cont conn con con- t gressmen with tires thes and gasoline Thursday gasoline Thursday had Washington a Adeline ordering whether another row like last summers summer's X-l' X card X-card r storm a af lV in is 1 the win wind f fas v. v ns as unquestionably were on Eyes voters Oters back ack home as the law- law takers silently pondered Wednesdays Wednesday's Wednes Wednes- i dayS day's acknowledgment by the office office office of of- fice fice of price administration that frn unlisted and unpublicized congressional coni con an i gressional nal service ac quick toI I t 11 ion o n ration tion board existed to handle gas rind and tire requests of senators and representatives only I gut But It wasn't news to the con con- gressmen according to o. o the O Or P A whose hose spokesman spokesman said most t of of the legislators already have used the the speedy special service board tott the majority granted C ration ra- ra tion books The story broke late Wednesday Wednes Wednes- and as yet the day day aY night congress congress- men had little to say say but capital speculation over the probable reaction reaction reaction re re- re- re action was was was' reminiscent of last June when protests from all over the nation flooded Washington inthe In Inthe inthe the wake of the news that many legislators had been granted the theold theold theold old unlimited gas ration X cards Meanwhile R. R K Thompson new district 0 OPA P A director who had no connection with the special special ape ape- cial board questioned Its propriety and continued an investigation into its purposes and operation James D. D Fitzgerald chief clerk of the board which seemed to specialize in telephone one service said the only extra benefits it provided provided provided pro pro- vided congressmen n were familiarity familiarity familiarity familiar familiar- ity with their problems and nd a central location The t telephone service was said to operate through ugh the congressional congressional congressional sergeant-at-arms sergeant who supplied supplied sup sup- plied members of the two houses with the phone number A quick call and the legislators legislator's gasoline ration book usually would be in inthe inthe inthe the mail mall the same sam day his application application cation was received