AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Hitler Stiffening Our Resistance

27th September 1940
Page 13
Page 14
Page 13, 27th September 1940 — Hitler Stiffening Our Resistance
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

IF Hitler believes that he will eventually better the Nazis' cause by his indiscriminate bombing of London and other centres in places where there is comparatively little industrial activity, he is greatly mistaken. Daily we see the destruction of our fine buildings and places of historical interest, but these endeavours strike us as being the acts of a man, or a gang of men, pursuing a policy of desperation.

Nothing could be more calculated to stiffen the resistance of this Nation and its determination to achieve victory and the punishment of these criminal aggressors, than this senseless destruction of life and property. It is imbuing the Army and the other fighting Services with a spirit of revenge and a longing to get to grips with the enemy, which only the complete subduing -of Germany and its jackal-like ally, Italy, will be able to satisfy.

The effect on the civilian population is proving much the same. Obviously, Hitler is endeavouring to terrorize us into submission to his wishes. Instead, his air blitzkrieg is being treated as a nuisance which is merely stirring the people to bigger efforts to meet the demands of the Services. Nowhere does one hear any expression of opinion other than the need to grin and bear it.

It must not be forgotten that the Nazis are -expending a colossal amount of fuel, munitions, trained man power and many aeroplanes in the futile endeavour to achieve decisive results.

Effects on London Only Superficial It may be that, eventually, sections of the populace of the Metropolis will have to be evacuated, although we hasten to add that we have no knowledge of any official moves in this direction. The extent of London, however, is so vast that with all his efforts and explosives Hitler cannot hope to make more than a superficial impression, for after these weeks of bombing, there are huge areas comparatively untouched. Even if it were possible for him to render London untenable, this would not force us into the position of asking for terms.

The democratic spirit and love of freedom of our nationals are such that we would prefer to live in camps or hutments than to be ground for years under the heel of a tyrannical conqueror, and the more the populations of our cities be spread over the country, the greater will be Hitler's difficulty in achieving conclusive results against us.

All that we have said may seem apart from the subject of road transport, but, actually, this is not so—in fact, in the unlikely event of such a state of affairs as that just mentioned coming to pass, road transport would have the greatest opportunity of its existence of demonstrating its undoubtedly great capabilities.

_ Unfortunately, the restrictions imposed upon the industry by a succession of Ministers of Transport, with little powers of judgment, a great idea of their own abilities, and a flare for publicity, have cramped the effort towards the development and expansion of our comparatively young industry.

Road Transport Would Prove Essential Road transport has, however, fought its battles • in every sphere, and despite all the efforts that have been made to reduce its value, it has developed into a vast although, perhaps, somewhat heterogeneous organization, which may be able to tackle successfully even such tasks as that with which it is possible that it may be confronted.

The renting of vast numbers of• the population would, undoubtedly, . necessitate the services of large numbers of passenger vehicles. These could, no doubt, be drawn from the municipal and private operators, many of whose machines have had to be laid aside on account of the restriction on their fuel, which has existed since the beginning of the war.

For the supply of essential foodstuffs and other commodities necessary to the health of the population, it may be essential to rely more upon commercial goods vehicles than upon the alreadycongested railways.

The Ministry of Food has already established throughout the country numerous centres of supply. Therefore, the difficulties of feeding evacuees should not be so arduous as might, at first, appear to be the case.

The teeming anthill of London needs thousands of buses and .other Means for conveyance for the activities of its inhabitants. Following moves into the country, there would be infinitely less need for the circulation of individuals. Consequently its huge fleet of vehicles could be employed for other and more urgent purposes.

The picture we draw may appear to be farfetched, but it is better to be prepared and not to leave matters so long that neglect results in a state of utter confusion.

Cannot More be Sent Abroad?

We have no doubt that thousands, if not millions, of those who have no real need to remain in the Metropolis have already departed to safer and more restful resorts, so that the problem is becoming much less difficult. Meanwhile, it may well be within the bounds of possibility to send abroad those of our population who are not of value hr connection with the war effort. There must be thousands of ships returning overseas with light freights. In them, we should pack the comparatively useless mouths and those too fragile to withstand the exigencies of a life and death campaign. The very young and the feeble—fond as we may be of them—become an added responsibility in such times as these, whilst their sufferings might sap our resolution, quite apart from the strain placed by them upon our transport and other facilities.

Whatever comes about, however, it is certain that road transport will play its part, and play it well. No other means for transport could possibly penetrate into every part of the country in the same manner as can the motor vehicle, but to be effective it must have adequate fuel supplies, whilst where new vehicles are available, delay in issuing permits for the purchase of these must cease.

Discussing Producer-gas Problems

THE more that the problems confronting the manufacturers and users of producer-gas• plants are thrashed out, the greater the strides that will be made in the development of this useful means for employing an alternative solid fuel which is home-produced and comparatively readily available.

Yesterday was the day allocated to a one-day conference at Caxton 1-lall, Westminster, on the operation of motor vehicles by gas producers, regarding which we shall have more to say in our next issue. The subjects chosen indicate the leading points that require attention, as, for example, the training and encouragement of drivers. There is obviously more work and trouble entailed in charging, lighting, cleaning and running producer plants, and it is essential that the drivers should be well versed and enthusiastic.

Then there are the questions of the pros and cons of various types of filter allied with the matter of cylinder wear, the fuels available and their suitability for employment in this connection. Compression ratios and what modifications, if any, are advisable is another subject of great interest, whilst the use of producers on oil-engined vehicles is a move requiring ventilation.

Finally, there is the important subject of the use of producers on classes of vehicle other than those to which they have been applied more generally at present. These are goods types exceeding 6 tons unladen, private cars and light vans and those meeting public-service requirements. As regards the latter, the president of the Municipal Passenger Transport Association has suggested that producers should be restricted to certain classes of vehicle—not those for the carriage of passengers.


comments powered by Disqus