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BRIGHT PROSPE(
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TS for Road Transport IN GERMANY
Difficulties in Reorganizing the Industry. Rail Monopoly Plan Abandoned. Striking Development of the Oil Engine
T0 overthrow the old, naturally grown capitalistic organization of the country and to reorganize all spheres of the people's activities, be they industrial, commercial, agricultural or " only" cultural, on nationalsocialistic principles, the guiding star of which is that the interests of any and every, person are subservient to the general well-being of the nation, is proving far more difficult than the German Government, which came into absolute power in January, ' 1933, anticipated. All old -leaders and organizations have either been crushed or welded together into new forms: No owner. a a business in Germany is, to-day, its master, but has strictly to work along lines prescribed by the trade. organization . formed for his branch of trade, and of which he is compelled to become a member.
Prices are dictated, stores are controlled, and everything he does is hedged with regulations that have closely to be adhered to. The men guiding these newly formed organizations are by no means always the best in that particular branch of trade. The Government has more than once stated that more important than abilities in. that particular line of business is a staunch national-socialist spirit.
Ability Not Essential.
Credited with such are, naturally, only persons who became members of the party before January, 1933. These are often people who attributed to the old regime their lack of business success; and, for this reason, joined the then opposition party of the nationalsocialists. In many new trade organizations, men who were formally virtually stranded, have become dictatorial leaders. It is not surprising, therefore, that the others regard them with some 'distrust and follow their orders with a certain amount of passive resistance. In the road-transport field, the reorganization is proving to be particularly difficult. Everyone having any connection with road transport is forced to . be a member of the, new, organization, which has many sections to deal more adequately with the van-: ens branches of -the business.' . Now it is next to impossible to dic4S
vide activities in this manner, because most operators rightly belong to a number of sections, as they work, for instance, as general hauliers, also maintaining longor short-distance services for goods and/or 'passengers. In each case, particular regulations have to be observed, which are not always reconcilable with each other. Still worse off are those who are not only road-transport operators, but also carry on some other business, in which they employ their vehicles. These unfortunates are forced simultaneously to become paying members of all the various trade organizations founded to take care of the interests of their particular branches of business.
. During a recent journey through Germany, we spoke with a large number of operators, most of them engaged, on a small scale, in some other business, and they all complained of being forced, under penalty of considerable Pines, to join each of the, various organizations and to pay relatively big contributions. For a small operator to be called upon to contribute to six trade. bodies vas quite ordinary, We met others, who were, not at all in a large way of„ buSiness,. who had 'to loin rio fewer than nine Organizations. Railway has entirely changed its policy and is no longer" waging war " against road transport,' whilst the German Transport Minister is using his influence to secure close co-operation between the railway and motor hauliers.
Definite plans for the organization of co-operation appear not yet to have been fixed. It is, however, indicated that the German Railway is gradually reorganizing its entire goods services and that, to a large extent, goods hitherto conveyed by rail are, in future, to be sent by road. Motor Roads Progressing.
This development is becoming necessary, for the German Railway is planning to introduce, on a large scale, long-distance express-railcar services, to be run at relatively short intervals, so that the rails will not be free for goods transport in the same measure as hitherto. The building of large roads exclusively for motor traffic, which is being conducted by the German Railway, is progressing favourably, and it is intended that these shall, in the first place, be used for long-distance goods transport. The railway is ordering a large number of lorries and trailers, many of
which will doubtless be employed in the new long-distance services. The majority of them, however, is to be used for short distance work. Existingoperators are to be engaged by the Railway on five-year contracts, with guarantees of a minimum income. There are in Germany roughly 38,000 " communities" not connected with the railway system, and serving these with regular transport facilities is a problem that can be solved only with the aid of road motors.
Whilst there is much talk in Germany respecting the constitution of a goods-transport monopoly under the control of the Railway, one hears, on the other hand, that a large number of independent hauliers is strongly combating all such intentions. Froma lecture recently delivered by Dr. Todt at a meeting of transport experts, it seems that, indeed, the Government is not yet• at all clear on this point.
Dr. Todt should be exceptionally well informed relative to the Government's intentions, as he has been personally appointed by Chancellor Hitler as commissary for the construction of the motor roads and as counsellor in transport matters to. Herr Hess. Herr Hess is the vice-leader of the nationalsocialist party, which, it has repeatedly been averred by the Government, is identical with the State.
From Dr. Todt's lecture it is to be assumed that, after all, a goods-transport monopoly will not come into force. It is hoped. that free operators will be able to come to such working agreements with the Railway and its contracted road-transport concerns that undue competition will be prevented.
How far from ultimate settlement the situation in Germany still is can clekly be seen. At present, it can only be said that fierce competition between rail and road has ceased, and that all possible steps are being adopted to pacify all parties, in order to secure time for a rational settlement. This will provide for strict control of rates by the Transport Ministry, as well as observance of the law " and the prevention of undue competition, by re
stricting long-distance transport on routes already adequately served by existing enterprises, including the Railway. At present, newcomers are not allowed to start in the road-transport business.
Registrations Higher.
The improvement in the general economic situation of Germany is indicated by the growth in the number of lorry registrations during the period from July 1, 1933, to July 1, 1934, on which dates a census of registrations takes place annually in Germany. Whereas in the previous 12 months, fewer than 3,000 new commercial vehicles were registered, the number in the period under consideration was more than 13,500, and it is interesting to note that, according to an estimate,
more than 7,000 of these new vehicles were equipped with oil engines The use of this typo of power unit has spread immensely in Germany, and light lorries are now available with compression-ignition engines. About 4,800 new lorries weighing three tons unladen were registered, and it is reported that approximately 4,000 cf these have oil engines. Under new legislation, the legal load capacity of four-wheelers has been increased, whilst six-wheelers have gained practically nothing. Therefore, four-wheelers with trailers are, in the near future, likely to grow in popularity.
During this year's census period, the large fourand six-wheelers increased considerably, owing to the German Railway having ordered a number. Lorries weighing 3-4 tons increased by
1,470 units, as against 138 in the previous period; those weighing up .to tons rose by 354 units, although in the previous 12 months their number dropped by 1,040, and lorries weighing More than 5t tons' increased 'by over 1,600 compared with 838 in 1932-1933.
The number of buses and coaches, rose lay 248, as against an' increase Of 116 at the 1933 census, In this field also the oil engine is rapidly gaining
ground. The Berlin Transport Co. re, cently gave orders for a further 00 steel-bodied buses and coaches with various types Of pil engine. Two additional excursion coaches are to be equipped , with oil-engine-electric motive 'systems.
Several :townsin Germany, such as Dresden, are reported to employ only oil-engfned buses and coaches. We hear that an extensive conversion business is being done in Germany, where, accotding to -estimates, between 28,000
and 30,000 oilers of .all types are running.
This would, mean that about every fifth vehicle of this type employs oil as fuel. Not counting machines weighing less than 2 tons, every other vehicle weighing more than 2 tons has an oil engine. If this figure be correct, it indicates that the oil-engine industry in Germany must have done exceptionally good business during the oast 18 months.