" Truck Trash" from the U.S.A.
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Advices from New York satisfy us that buyers who have been over there on behalf of the Allies have certainly not acted to the best advantage from the point of view of obtaining only approved commercial motors for war purposes. When British makers were unable to respond quickly enough to satisfy the abnormal demands which arose from their own country, Belgium, France and Russia, it was only in the natural order of events that the United States should get the next turn. That country, as to 90 per cent. of its population, is friendly to the Allies, and sentiment, from our side, may have borne a small part in the choice. There was, of course, only Italy as an alternative. Be that. as it rnay, America has received her share of the business.
We regret to have to put on record the belief that some of the U.S.A. dealers are seizing the opportunity of making large sums of money by what is colloquially termed on the other side of the Atlantic "plugging them with stuff." We are credibly informed that numerous English and French officials lave been buying everything from sweaters to motor lorries; we have already, a fortnight ago, recorded certain movements and shipments of lorries. These buyers are not acquainted with the concerns from whom they are buying, nor with the goods themselves. They have bought in what may be termed rush fashion, largely through city agents, and in more than one case numbers of chassis have been bought from stock. In America, as in England, at the present time, the general conclusion tobe adopted, in regard to people who have stocks of commercial motors, is that they have been unable to sell them. The experience of the Allies, when they use these trucks, will, it is estimated by one competent. correspondent to whom we are indebted for advices, be simply appalling. Our place is to suggest that something should be done to safeguard the interests of the Miles against unnecessary losses, both of material and lives, in the field hereafter. The initial'shifilients will not in eny event be sent back; the vehicles are wanted, though they last only a few days. For the future, however, expert viewers might very well be appointed forthwith, in order to ensure that deliveries are rigidly to standard, including the spare parts. Once the trucks are shipped and the money is paid, we fear redress will be out of the question.
If " truck trash " has been shipped, and if more is still being shipped, the evil consequences which are threatened should be checked and reduced to a minimum, if they cannot be eliminated. We trust that; if our own War Office is concerned—no matter if only to a relatively-small extent—in the dealings which are affected by these allegations from our American correspondents, the right men will be added to the Service, to the end that inspection before shipment shall not be a farce.