Opinions from Others.
Page 16
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The Draughtsman and His Pay.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1376] Sir, -With reference to your remarks about the commercial-vehicle draughtsman and his pay, I think you do a great deal of injustice to the managing directors who do the hiring. Only a few weeks ago I was interviewed by one of them. After being satisfied that I could " swing the deal," i.e., start a pleasure-vehicle factory on to making good lorries, he offered me the princely sum of 60s. per week, with the customary promise of a " possible " advancement in the dim and distant future. No wonder that young men prefer to drive buses.--Yours faithfully, C. P. SCHWARZ, D.SC.
(of Omaha, Neb., U.S.A.). Cricklewood, London, N.W.
Campaign Comforts Fund.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1377] Sir,—I am particularly glad that you have taken up the task of sending gloves, tobacco, etc., to the drivers and mechanics of the Mechanical Transport Columns. May I make the following suggestions: that you select a tobacco which will not be difficult to keep alight, as one of the greatest difficulties at present over there, with men who smoke, Is to procure matches. I would also like to suggest that the cigarettes and tobacco be sent out as to the former in tins, for which there is always a use afterwards, and as to the latter in tin foil, as very few of the men have anything like a pouch to keep tobacco in.--Yours faithfully. J. G. LLOYD. Upininster.
Working Costs.
The Editor, THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1378] Sir,—On page 142 you mentioned a letter from. Mr. R. J. Williams, with referenee to my letter on the above subject. You credit me with a " statement" that " All costs except tires and petrol are fixed per day," while my letter only said that "it would be convenient to assume " this, The Editor's suggestion that rest days are balanced by high mileages certainly works out in my experience, as a machine on jobbing work has long journeys separated by idle days, and at the end of the year, has done about the same mileage as a machine on regular work, Possibly Mr. Williams makes too much of the saving in depreciation and maintenance on a rest day. Decrease in value of a motor vehicle means much more than wear and tear, and if a lorry was out all day on a wet Friday, it would perhaps depreciate more on Saturday if it were standing still, than if it did a, little work.
Maintenance includes wages and material ; wages are the larger item, and a fixed item per day if repairs .are not sent out.
The object of my letter was to point out the danger of the use of an average cost per mile in estimating daily work. As an example, the Rapid Motor Transport Co., Ltd., was lately asked to cart some beef to a station, a distance of one mile, and was offered Is. 6d. per ton. A three-toriner was put on the work, but owinc, to delay at the station, only did six journeys per day. This gave 27s. for 12 miles. Taking working costs at 8:1d. per mile, yields Sc. 6d. as cost ; taking working costs at 22s. per day and 4d. per mile gives 26s. as cost. Allowing, say, 2s. 6,d. per day for management (excluded in "CM." tables) one calculation gives a profit of 16s., the other a loss of Is. 6d. Both methods give the same result over a month, hut which method gives the best idea of the value of a day's work I—Yours faithfully, ALEX STUART. A6 The Editor, THE COMMEROIAL MOTOR.
[1379] Sir,--I am glad to read of the excellent method which Messrs. Thornycroft have adopted at their Basingstoke works, in order to relieve their workmen of undeserved opprobrium. Condemnatory remarks by unthinking people have already taken from the active and productive life of this country many skilled artisans and other men who would be serving their country's interests much better in their old places than in their new and untried ones in Kitchener's Army.
I am told that Lord Kitchener already has well over a million men in the aggregate, and that instructions have been issued to reject the so-called unfit. If this report is accurate, and if the published figures for the new Army are being purposely kept low, it may not yet be too late for the military authorities to give consideration to the great advantage of their granting exemption to mechanics who were led to enlist without proper thought. I am told on good authority that the Daimler and other motor works are still short of men, in some cases to the extent of 100 or more each, owing to the unfortunate incidence of enlistment. The engineering trades of the country have given of their best, arid the country is suffering because of the loss, whilst these enlisted men are doing less good service in the Army than they would be doing if they were back in the factories making heavy motors or producing other material supplies to keep our fighting forces on the Continent well supplied. I hope, Sir, with you, that the button-hole badge of service " will become a general rule in the heavy-motor industry. The men who remain behind are entitled to the credit for their having the pluck to do so. This view may appear paradoxical, but much truth underlies it.—Yours faithfully,
R. J. WILLIAMS.
The Editor, THE COAIMERCIAL MOTOR.
[1380] Sir,—I am glad to see you had a word to say last week Editorially on the abuse of the letters " 0.H.M.S." by the drivers of all sorts of :motor vehicles.
Of course, it is perfectly obvious that, until a week or two ago, lots of people thought they had a right to adopt this quasi-official designation if they had done no more than, in emergency, fetch a box of pills for the use of some hospital unit, and I personally strongly suspect that many cars bore this legend which had not even been put to so useful a purpose.
Far more important, however, than this silly affectation, which is typical of people who find some passing pleasure in carrying stuffed dolls and other absurdities on their cars, as mascots forsooth, is the undoubted liberty which has been taken so widely as the result of what was imagined to be the pre-oecupation of the police on other and more important ditties than the regulation and control of traffic on the ordinary highways.
One would have thought that no such thing as a speed limit existed a week or so ago, and not the least offenders in this respect were the civilian drivers of motor lorries which one met all over the country. To be at the wheel of a grey-painted motor vehicle of any kind, and, above all, with the magic letters " 0.H.M.S.," or, in some cases, " W.D." painted on some part of the machine, was with many drivers a direct invitation to that hateful display of " swank " which is characteristic of many road users, even under more stringent legal control.
Tt is a relief to the more sober-minded of us to feel thr,t the Government has taken action.—Yours faith fully, " Commr.R.cAR OWNER."