World War II - Ration Stamp Book No. 4 - York, Pennsylvania

Description

For auction is a War Ration Book # 4 (1945), which was issued to an individual in York, Pennsylvania. It contains 141 stamps, which could be used for foodstuffs and miscellaneous items. Others have been removed, presumably used. The book measures appx 5 3/4 x 4 1/2 inches and is made of a thin cardstock. The stamps did not come with an adhesive backing.
World War II - Ration Stamp Book No. 4 - York, Pennsylvania
World War II - Ration Stamp Book No. 4 - York, Pennsylvania
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Description
In summer 1941 the British appealed to Americans to conserve food to provide more to go to Britons fighting in World War II. The
Office of Price Administration
(OPA)
warned Americans of potential gasoline, steel, aluminum, and electricity shortages. It believed that with factories converting to military production and consuming many critical supplies, rationing would become necessary if the country entered the war. It
established a rationing system after the
attack on Pearl Harbor
. Of concern for all parts of the country was a
shortage of rubber for tires
since the Japanese quickly conquered the rubber-producing regions of
Southeast Asia.
Although
synthetic rubber
had been invented in the years preceding the war, it had been unable to compete with natural rubber commercially, so the USA did not have enough manufacturing capacity at the start of the war to make synthetic rubber. Throughout the war,
rationing of gasoline was motivated by a desire to conserve rubber as much as by a desire to conserve gasoline
.
Tires
were the first item to be rationed by the OPA, which ordered the temporary end of sales on 11 December 1941 while it created 7,500 unpaid, volunteer three-person tire ration boards around the country. By 5 January 1942 the boards were ready. Each received a
monthly allotment of tires based on the number of local vehicle registrations
, and allocated them to applicants based on OPA rules.The War Production Board (WPB) ordered the
temporary end of all civilian
automobile
sales
on 1 January 1942, leaving
dealers
with one half million unsold cars. Ration boards grew in size as they began evaluating automobile sales in February (only certain professions, such as doctors and clergymen, qualified to purchase the remaining inventory of new automobiles), typewriters in March, and bicycles in May. Automobile factories stopped manufacturing civilian models by early February 1942 and converted to producing tanks, aircraft, weapons, and other military products, with the United States government as the only customer. By June 1942 companies also
stopped manufacturing for civilians metal furniture, radios, photographs, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, washing machines and sewing machines
.
Civilians first received ration books—War Ration Book Number One, or the
"Sugar Book"—
on 4 May 1942
, through more than 100,000 schoolteachers, PTA groups, and other volunteers. A national speed limit of 35 miles per hour was imposed to save fuel and rubber for tires. Later that month volunteers again helped distribute gasoline cards in 17 Atlantic and Pacific Northwest states.To get a classification and rationing stamps, one had to appear before a local War Price and Rationing Board which reported to the OPA.
Each person in a household received a ration book, including babies and small children who qualified for canned milk not available to others.
As of 1 March 1942, dog food could no longer be sold in tin cans, and manufacturers switched to dehydrated versions. As of 1 April 1942, anyone wishing to purchase a new
toothpaste tube
, then made from metal, had to turn in an empty one.
Sugar
was the first consumer commodity rationed
, with all sales ended on 27 April 1942 and resumed on 5 May with a ration of
one half pound per person per week
, half of normal consumption.
Coffee
was rationed nationally
on 29 November 1942 to one pound every five weeks, about half of normal consumption, in part because of German
U-boat
attacks on shipping from Brazil
. By the end of 1942,
ration coupons were used for nine other items.
Typewriters, gasoline, bicycles, footwear, silk, nylon, fuel oil, stoves, meat, lard, shortening and oils, cheese, butter, margarine, processed foods, dried fruits, canned milk, firewood and coal, jams and jellies, and fruit butter
were rationed by November 1943. Many retailers welcomed rationing because they were already experiencing shortages of many items due to rumors and panics, such as flashlights and batteries after Pearl Harbor.
Many levels of rationing later went into effect
. Some items, such as sugar, were distributed evenly based on the number of people in a household. Other items, like gasoline or fuel oil, were rationed only to those who could justify a need. Restaurant owners and other merchants were accorded more availability, but had to collect ration stamps to restock their supplies. In exchange for used ration stamps, ration boards delivered certificates to restaurants and merchants to authorize procurement of more products.
Ration stamps had different designs, based on their date of issue
. Some were designed with a tank or an airplane, while others were numbered sequentially or listed alphabetically. Stamps were surrendered to merchants who removed from the Ration Books the appropriate number for the items purchased.
Only stamps in books would be accepted, loose stamps were not useable
.
For auction is a War Ration Book # 4 (1945),
which was
issued to an individual in York, Pennsylvania
It contains
141 stamps
, which could be used for foodstuffs and miscellaneous items. Others have been removed, presumably used. The book measures appx 5 3/4 x 4 1/2 inches and is made of a thin cardstock. The
stamps did not come with an adhesive backing.
This item is in
very good condition
. It has no rips or tears, and all writing/markings are from its issuance. A nice possession for anyone who collects World War II items.
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