Show lost ost ration books aid black market says 0 P A director the loss of ration books by consumers sumers and the laxness in returning books of deceased persons and those filtering entering the armed services to local rationing boards are threatening to lecome become a menace to the whole rationing program according to a letter from it if grant ivins 0 P A state dl 1 ictor octo to the chalin 11 of the local abir price and rationing board the letter which outlines new procedures for i replacement of lost and stolen books urged local boards to exercise extreme care in ili the issuance of 0 it aso asserted that only 10 to 25 per cent of the books of persons entering the die services have be been e n returned to the local boards blaids within ten days davs as required and urged vigilance in ill zis assuring suring the return of such books these loose books constitute an incipient black market of such proportions as to threaten thi eaten the very existence of the nall nations oils program of assuring needed supplies tor for our fighting fl gilt men ani and fair distribution of scarce goods to civilians mr ivins letter continued while I 1 realize that most persons who lose jose books or use them improperly would be horrified at the thought that they are sabotaging tile the war program and undercutting der cutting our national so se cuilty yet that Is literally the result mr air ivins letter suggested that the principal sources of book losses are through improper care while the consumer Is in ili the hie grocery store and by allowing the books to ret get into the hands of small children As a remedy for the first lie he suggested that books never lie he placed on the counter either cither by the consumer or the grocery clerk if books are aio not put on the counter they cant accidentally ci bo be left there the letter said etwas it was suggested also that books should never bo be placed in the bag with groceries either by the consumer or the clerk but should he be put directly into the consumers pocketbook after stamps have been removed apparently many books are arc inadvertently inadvertent destroyed along with tile the bag after the groceries have been removed the letter continued with respect to keeping books awn from small children the ha leter admonished they are not playthings they should be guarded with at least as much uch care as is taken of a 20 bill |