What the Associations are Doing
Page 54
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Big Propaganda Plans by A.R.a
EVELATIONS as to the action IN.which A.R.O. is now taking, to counter the rail propaganda, . were made at Croydon, on .Monday. This was the occasion of a big Croydon Subarea meeting, and the facts -,ere disclosed by Major Long, principal speaker of the evening.
The assembly was told that a scheme was in full force, whereby sandwichmen were to carry road-propaganda posters in all areas of the country, and distribute leaflets. Other Methods of putting the case for road transport before the public were also to be adopted where possible, and although the Association had not anything like the same financial resources, for such a purpose, as the railway interests, it would make the hest use of what it had. Also, Major Long made an appeal, at this meeting, for contributions to the propaganda fund, and we understand that members rallied round very well.
Major Long outlined the course of this latest railway attack from its start, about six weeks ago, when the newspapers began to give great prominence to the railway demands. He pointed out that he had been successful in countering this, to a certain extent, by making the Editors concerned listen to road-transport's case, but the great railway publicity and advertising campaign had brought new difficulties, which they were now facing, and facing with the best of their resources.
At the same time, he said, "The railways have spent thousands on their scheme, and it has not been the success it should have been. Our scheme must be a success, we must be united, and help ourselves."
Mention was also made, by Major Long, of the Bill for increased licence fees, and he said that they must oppose that measure strongly.
Mr. J. L. Kinder, of A.R.O., also spoke, and supported Major Long's appeal for propaganda funds. He said the A.R.O. was the only Association that was undertaking this propaganda on a national scale. HELP TO CUT THE, BONDS!
The catch-phrase of the latest A.R.O. propaganda leaflet is "Road transport is bound, where its competitors are free." The pamphlet goes on to explain, in pithy, caustic sentences, how our industry is bound and exhorts members of the public and users of goods vehicles to do their utmost to save the industry.
The. concluding statement is " Act NOW, or the near future will find you back again in the hands of a somnolent monopoly, and not even allowed to carry your own goods in your own vehicle!"
Mr. Wyatt, of the Association, has been largely responsible for the propaganda literature.
"Cases Cancel Each Other Out."
A recent address by Capt. C. F. Roberts (vice-chairman of the C.M.U.A„ London and Home Counties Division) to Portsmouth Area members and operators, dealt with problems of road and rail goods traffic. It wag true, he said, that the railways had a case, for they were hound hand and foot by regulations and strictures dating from the time railways had a trade monopoly. Now, however, when the haulage industry was talking of getting organized, the railways wanted to do away with rates strictures altogether.
The trouble was that both hauliers and railways had good cases, which cancelled each other out.
Vindicating the Rates Conference.:
-Mr. F. G. Bristow, hon. secretary to the National Road Transport Rates Conference, has commented upon _statements, recently made, that no progress in giving effect to the recommendations Contained in the report of the Transport Advisory' Council on Service and Rates has been made. He says that one of the recommendations of the Transport Advisory Council, which was adopted by the Minister of Transport, was that "opportunity should be afforded for the road hauliers to build up a rates structure for their own industry; such structure should be the product of the industry itself and should be based as far as possible upon agreement between road hauliers holding A and B licences."
Following the publication of the report, road hauliers proceeded to give effect to this recommendation, and a National Road Transport Rates Conference was established, General standard conditions of carriage, and special conditions of carriage relating to dangerous goods, explosives, livestock and furniture, are already under consideration by the area rates committees set up throughout the country by the Conference, and ,consideration of the classification of goods and the preparation of a rates structure are well advanced.