The Oakwood Press (Oakwood

A Test Would Be Interesting

If you were told that there is not actually a shortage of gasoline, but that rationing has been continued because there is imperative need to save your car, what would you do if rationing should suddenly be eased up?

Would you go on a spree and try to make up for all the miles of pleasure driving you have lost during the past year or two?

Actually, according to inside advice from Washington, the gas shortage is not so acute as we have been told; neither is the rubber shortage. But no new cars have been made for two years and it likely will be still another year before production starts.

There is serious danger of the nation's transportation system breaking down through the wearing out of private vehicles. Hence Washington officials continue the rationing of gas as the only sure way of keeping use of automobiles at a minimum to preserve them for longer essential use.

Let's be honest with ourselves. Our first reaction to the news that a little more gas to each motorist in the United States would not deprive our fighting forces of one drop is that once again Washington is afraid to trust us with the truth. We grit our teeth and utter underbreath imprecations against the bureaucrats. Then, on sober reflection, we admit that we might take that long-deferred drive to Aunt Minnie's if we had some extra gas, or go for a Sunday afternoon spin in the country.

The little extra wear on the old family bus would not amount to much, we would tell ourselves, and away we would go without giving a really serious thought to the idea that winning the war might depend in some measure on our car and the cars of our neighbors.

We should like to see an experiment tried to decide once and for all whether the people would co-operate if they were told the truth, or whether Washington is right in its attitude that we are still children who can't be trusted.

We should like to see a serious announcement come from Washington about the need for preserving our cars. We should like to see a campaign launched, driving home this fact. And then we should like to see gas rationing lifted, not entirely, but enough to test out our belief that the public would co-operate.

We are convinced that the ordinary American, resentful as he is of being treated as a child and kept in the dark about things he has a right to know, would make any necessary sacrifice to help his brothers at the fighting front.

We have just that much confidence in our neighbors.