Propaganda for the British Industry.
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THE IMPERIAL Motor Transport Council, the officials and members of Which are to be the guests of the Association of British Motor and Allied Manufacturers on November 12th, . is in essence a body of a missionary or propagandist character. It was formed at the time .of the Commercial VehiCle Exhibition at Olympia in the summer of-1913,
when it acted as the executive organizing committee of a, cOnference which was attended by delegates from all parts of the Empire. The purpose of this conference was to promote the discussion of subjects calculated to benefit the de velopment of motor transport in all its • branches throughout the Empire as a whole. Among the prin-cipal subjects actually dealt With upon the occasion
mentioned were the military .uses of motor vehicles
and the question of creating ample lizel supplies within' the Empire. The latter discussion led to the forma tion of an alcohol motor fuel committee, and the attention thereby drawn to the subject no doubt materially helped to 'bring into existence the official committee with the same title, which reported early this year.
As a consequence of the report of the official coraraittee„ it seems probable that a properly supported. executive will presently be formed to investigate all the questions surrounding the use of alcohol as a fuel. It is possible that the Imperial Motor Transport Council's parallel committee will collaborate with the
official .body in order to carry on the very necessary propaganda work.
The discussions .on the military use of motor vehicles undoubtedly helped to educate public opinion up to the necessity. of expenditure on the motor branch of
the R.A.S.C. and to encourage the willing collaboration of motor Users with the War Department: The
conference also initiated useful discusions on the scientific organization of Motor services and deliveries, subject the obvious importance of which has now been moie fully realized, with the result that traffic exchanges are being formed and the co-operative pooling of vehicles considered in many quarters.
Since the war, there has been no4apportunity for the organizing of further conferences, though we may fairly
anticipate that the Council will be called upon to renew this branch of its activities when the next.com
rnercial vehicle exhibition takes place.. In the meanwhile its constitution has been strengthened and it has became a very representative body. Its president, 11..R.H.. Prince Arthur of Connaught, will be the principal guest at the dinner to be given by the British industry. Its vice-presidents include the High Commissioners of all the self-governing Dominions and the Cabinet Ministers responsible for all departments interested, either "particularly in motor transport, or generally in the development of British' trade. The membership includes a number of Agents-General of overseas provinces and states, one of the Crown Agents for the Colonies, and a large number_Of highly placed officials in various Government departments.
The influence of the Council is, therefore such as to enable it to do great service to the motor industry and to the development of motor transport, by organizing or affording opportunity for public discussion on matters affecting either of these great interests.
The forthcoming dinner will provide an excellent opportunity for the Council to use its influence in this way so as to secure the widest possible publicity for the facts whia the representatives of the industry will no doubt desire to put forward. It is of the utmost importance that prospective buyers in the overseas markets should know that, if the British manufacturer is not apparently catering promptly and fully for his needs,' the reason is not any lack of interest or appreciation, but a collection of circumstances diredly occasioned by the war.
If the industry can show that it is doing everything possible to cause a rapid modification of the position, for the specific piarpose of developing overseas trade, and if the members of the Council, by their influence and attendance, can ensure that the facts become widely known, a great deal of good will certainly result from the function which we shall await with considerable interest.