Umbrella Man
Page 40
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THERE is merit in the suggestion made this week by Mr. R. Morton Mitchell, chief executive officer of the Road Haulage Association, that a national organization should be set up to speak for all sections of road transport. The difficulty is to put it into practice. An industry with such diverse interests as road transport is seldom united on any matter.
Even subjects as fundamental as taxation evoke sharp differences of opinion. It is difficult to imagine, for instance, an all-embracing organization putting forward to the Chancellor of the Exchequer a plea for preferential concessions in favour of passenger-vehicle operators.
Mr. Morton Mitchell was dealing with an ideal. One day, if the outlook of road transport operators broadens sufficiently, it may be possible to translate it into practical terms. There is every reason why the machinery for conciliation should exist, even if it cannot be used immediately, and early steps should be taken to set up a standing joint committee of all interests in any way Concerned with road transport. Its very existence would confer prestige on its founders and its use in representations to the Government should be of impressive weight.
Greater immediate success should flow from Mr. Morton Mitchell's other suggestion for a comprehensive body representing each of the three classes of commercial-vehicle operator—the C. licensee, the professional carrier and the passengervehicle operator. Each branch has several associations, which have loose ties and sometimes unite on clear-cut matters of principle. It should be far easier to set up a recognized permanent body representing each main interest than to form an organization to speak for all three.
Pere is a fruitful idea that should appeal to the Government and to road transport operators. The three umbrella organizations, when formed, could consider establishing a body that would, when necessary, speak for all three and carry with it the influence of practically every commercial and industrial undertaking in the country.