Mr. Kinder Lashes Out at Manchester
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As a Preliminary to His New Duties with the A.R.O. Mr. J. L. Kinder Addresses a Big Meeting at Manchester
AS recently announced in our Columns, Mr. J. L. Kinder, who has now joined the A.R.O., was to address a meeting, on behalf of that Association, at Manchester, on Wednesday. The following is a vital part of his speech, which we have left in his own words:—
• "Having regard to the close contact
I have had, in the past, with tile MartChester Area of the C.M.U.A., combined with my activities in connection with the development and progress of membership, I feel that it is incumbent upon me to make a statement that must obviously be of a personal character.
" In the absence of an official statement from the C.M.U.A. headquarters, and in response to numerous inquiries,
I feel I should he evading a personal and moral responsibility to a membership that I did much to create if I did not amplify the brief statement recently announced in the technical Press regarding the break between the C.M.U.A. and myself. In so doing I want to make it perfectly clear that I am in no way attacking or criticizing the C.M.U.A. as an organization, and I have no intention of departing from the principles which I have at all times valued and advocated, nor is it a personal issue. In brief, I was informed that the Association could no longer continue to maintain my office—this in spite of the fact that, last year, there was received
the highest recorded income, coincident with the largest number of new enrolments, a strange and unreconcilable fact.
"An association has every right to make what decisions it pleases, but when a decision is made, and action taken, before the membership is given an opportunity, of expressing its opinion thereon, through the constitutional medium of the National Council, especially when it is a matter of national policy and significance, it suggests a form of control not wholly desirable.
" It is not a case of ' J.L.K. versus A.N. Other,' but one much deeper and more important. It is A.N. Other versus the right of membership to express its opinion on any matter of national policy through the medium of the National Council.
" I was very interested in a letter from one of my late colleagues, recently published in only one, mark you, of the technical papers, in which a merger is referred to. Now, I have no intention of reviving a subject of such heated controversy, although it has been suggested that such is my motive,. On the contrary, I do not retract one single word often expressed regarding unity. The view, expressed is that the matter does not lie in .the hands of the leaders in the industry, but rests in those of the rank and file. Further, that such a demand, if made. would be irresistible. Surely this is a confession of leadership weakness.
" I suggest that before such a move has any prospect of success, membership must be taken into complete and full confidence, even to the extent of a balance-sheet being_ circulated to all members. May I remind you that this Association, when it was the R.H.A., had two previous experiences of mergers, and in each case there were liabilities of a financial nature that had to be met.
" Now I want to give you a few significant facts regarding the A . R .0. :— " (1) It has by far the largest membership, having at least one-third in excess of any other Association—a result achieved after a brief seven years' existence,
" (2) It is governed democratically not merely by those who operate vehicles, but by actual owners dependent upon the turn of the wheels for their livelihood, a difference with a distinction.
" (3) A balance-sheet is circulated to full membership, a feature of particular significance."