Traffic in Truck Orders in the U.S.A.
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Why do not the purchasing officers of the various armies go direct to U.S.A. makers, instead of seeking to deal through intermediaries ? Any other course of action but the direct must encourage sub-contracting. We are satisfied that, as in England, the principal manufacturers of commercial motors in America, who are receiving an increasing volume of orders for the purposes of the war, heartily wish to see this direct method of dealing adopted. Our most-competent correspondents in America gave us certain information, a few weeks ago, upon which we based our article of the 12th November entitled " Truck Trash from the U.S.A." That article indicated one type of error for which some military buyers have been responsible, aed we are now dealing with a second type of error. The present fault is capable of remedy.
We are told that it is held in the best American motor circles to be " scandalous to see the subjects of a friendly country being preyed upon as they are by unscrupulous commission (sic) agents." These strictures are stated to apply not only to proceedings in New York, but to negotiations which are taking place in London, direct with the military authorities. Some of the London negotiations are most indirect as regaads the touch with the source of manufacture— with the bast American vehicles.
We are asked why English officers who were in New York at the end of last month, and who may gill be there for all we know, do not approach the manufacturers direct? it is certainly beyond our capacity to return an answer to the query, although we should have thought that the precedent of practice between the British W.D. and British makers is good enough to be followed. It appears that not only do the English officers fail to approach the U.S.A. manufacturers direct, when over there, but that some business is being negotiated through " disreputable people with whom the leading American makers would normally refuse to do business." We are credibly informed that the same difficulties arose, a little more than two months ago, over the initial orders from the French military authorities. In this case, however, after various unsavoury episodes, the order was placed direct by the French Consul-General in New York. The French officers complained to him that they were being insulted by offers of commission, and that the so-called agents were trying to sell to them above list prices, and the Consul-General has never regretted his direct action and his subsequent direct payments. One important American works alone has supplied 300 two-ton trucks for the French Army, and has in hand 300 five-ton trucks for the same destination, with more promised to follow. The curious makes of trucks which English officers are reported to be buying in New York, and the prices which they are understood to be paying, appear to have constituted an end-November topic in U.S. heavy-motor circles.
• We have no reason to refrain from endorsing the action of the British War Office, following the lead of the British Admiralty as it happens, in placing orders in the U.S.A. for urgent delivery, having regard to the prior absorption of all approved output from
British makers. We know that American drivers and roads are amongst the worst, and that only the best trucks ca-n earn a reputation under the treatment which they have to eadurc from both. Honest manufacturers and traders in America, and they are happily in the majority in the heavy-motor industry there, object " to see these vulture-iike gentlemen— the American commission agents—aceuting a nation in distress, and taking advantage of it in nauseating fashion." Why should they receive encouragement from British officers ? Are they receiving it knowingly ? Cannot these buyers from Britain be instructed to go direct to the factories? We are not seeking to .stir up mud, for we have no reason to believe there is any to stir up so far as people from this country are
concerned. We fear, none the less, that some of them have been misled by misrepresentations. A fresh start is needed, possibly on fresh instructions from Whitehall.