The Bombshell !
Page 22
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Nationalization of Road Transport Would Be a Disaster: Immediate and Persistent Action to Combat It Is Essential: How the Fight Can Be Conducted
By E. B. Howes,
National Chairman. National Conference of Road Transport Associations. Chairman, Haulier,' Mutual Federation.
NATIONALIZATION of the road transport industry would prove to be a bomb more disastrous in its effect on the prosperity of the country than anything itomic. It would have repercussions extending far beyond the confines of the industry with which it is directly concerned, to disturb and bring grave losses, sooner or later, to every branch of trade and commerce.
The other day, Mr. G. R. Strauss, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of War Transport, stated, in reference to the control of road transport, that the purpose of the Government is to effect whatever changes are necessary as quickly and smoothly. as possible, but with a minimum of inconvenience and hardship to the whole of the interests
concerned. .
This statement followed closely upon an announcement that the Ministry's Road Haulage Organization is to continue for a year from the official date of the termination of the war with Japan. It should be noted that the Ministry has not definitely stated that the Organization will cease to function on that date. It is within the power of the Government to continue the existence of the Organization after that date, should it so desire for any purpose whatever. It can do so by application of the powers vested in it when the Supplies and Services Bill is passed.
Preparations for Nationalization The purpose of the Government seems clear. A scheme for the nationalization of the road haulage industry is in, active preparation. It is hoped to have it ready for operation by August next. If it be completed by, then the industry will pass from its present state of semi-control to nationalization or some other equivalent form of public control. That flexibility, that efficient and economical characteristic of personal service, which made road transsport literally the hand-maid of trade and commerce, will disappear. Instead, we shall have, in perpetuity and probably much enlarged, the hide-bound, red-tape-tied, expensive system which we have known for months under the title of the Road Haulage Organization. The cost of that scheme has still to be disclosed: when it is, the truth of my observations as to the expensive nature of Government control of transport will be confirmed. What is likely to • be the immediate effect on trade in general can he seen. Already the commercial motor manufacturing industry is becoming worried about its future. For no haulier or passenger-vehicle operator is going to invest his capital in the purchase of new vehicles while he is likely almost immediately to submit to what I will shortly show to be the utter confiscation of his business and with it all his tangible assets.
Costly Transport and Unemployment This fear will be the beginning of a spate of unemployment which will shortly be flooding this country. h will start with those engaged in the manufacture of 'vehicles. Soon it will spread far beyond that sphere. For our prosperity in the near future we are dependent on our exports which, we have been informed again and again, must be extended to at least 50 per cent. in excess of the pre-war figure. To do that we must produce goods at prices lower than those at which similar goods are offered by competing countries. An important factor in production cost is the amount spent on transport. Government-operated transport, as the past three years. will show, is the most expensive form of that service. With road. transport nationalized, therefore, its cost will rise, thus preventing the production of ,goods at competitive prices. Without that our industries must wane, we shall have no work for our population and unemployment will be increasingly widespread.
This threat of nationalization must, therefore, be met and countered: the Government must be made to see that it is wrong, and be shown that the people of this country will not have it. • It can be done. It must be done, and one way to do it is to show that we are united in our purpose.
In 1940 the peoples of this country and of the Empire faced Hitlerism and all that it meant, alone. They organized themselves to meet that peril and patiently built up a counter organization which ultimately saved not only themselves but the world.
To-day they are faced, in effect, with a similar situation. There is a minority in the courktry which is building up a system of totalitarianism of which the nationalization of road transport is only one facet.
Our defeat in combating this threat would render negative all that has been won for ourselves and the Empire during the past six years. We have fought for freedom; if this mania for nationalization goes through unchecked we shall lose that freedom.
.R.H.O. Claimed as Uneconomic
One would have thought that any Government of this country would have had regard to the unbiased findings of its predecessor. It seems, however, that that is not so. This Government appears to be about to ignore the findings of the Select Committee on National Expenditure which, hardly more than a year ago, confirmed what was already known to many, that the Road Haulage Organization was an uneconomic proposition.
I have suggested that the taking over of operators' businesses will, in effect, be confiscation. How can it be otherwise ? How can a country which is bankrupt find the money to pay, not only for the businesses which it proposes to take over. but for the continual'uneconomic effects of that operation ? The payment is to be made in bonds, but the value of these bonds is directly dependent upon the country's ability to back them. And if, as is certain to happen with transport in Government hands, the trade, particularly the export trade of the country, is to diminish, the value of these bonds will fall until it is little or nil. ,Those who have been forced to accept the bonds in payment for the businesses which, as to most of. them, have been built up by sweat and toil over a score of years or more, will have nothing to show for their labour, nothing to hand on to their sons for whose benefit, in the majority of cases, they have gone to that trouble.
Are Hauliers to be Slaves?
We were told, in the Bible, that each of us should labour in the vineyard: we are also given, in the same Book, the maxim that the labourer is worthy of his hire. What becomes of that admonition and that tenet if this scheme be allowed to come to fruition? We are faced with the prospect of becoming a people working under Herod, the slaves of a system, instead of being free men working for just and due rewards.
I have, in this article, deemed it right and proper to avoid mention of the various co-partners in the political arena of our industry. I feel that, in the fight for the common cause, all who have the interests of the industry truly at heart will rally round arid unite, forgetting, if only for the time being, the minor differences which have prevented them from seeing eye to eye with one another.
The time has come when all parties should come together and be represented at any discussion of the plans which are urgently needed to combat this threat to our livelihood, our industry and our country.
An opportunity for such a gathering will occur on November 20 when, at the Caxton Hall, at 10.30 a.m., a meeting will be held to take the initial steps towards organization. All parties and all shades of opinion, including every Member of Parliament have been and Are hereby invited. The occasion is of vital importance, the need for immediate action is urgent. Come along and give your support. Let us join our forces in this worthy and vital cause.