Nationalization News
Page 24
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If Civil Servants Ran Road Transport N A ANUFACTURERS generally do IVI not openly take sides in the question of the nationalizition of transport. An exception is F Perkins, Ltd. Writing in "Perkins News," Mr.
L. W. J. Hancock says: "We feel we ought to congratulate the road transport industry on the wonderful fight it is making against the threat of nationalization. Certainly its publicity organization is working most intelligently. There are few publications seen nowadays, whether nati mal or pfovincial, which do not carry some edit-) ial• reference -to the road-transport case.
"In these columns we feel we ought to stress one particular point, which, perhaps, may figure largely in the future if the Government decides to go ahead with its plans.
" It concerns personnel. We know of large numbers of haulage contractors vitally interested in their own businesses to whom hours of work do not matter: For years these men have thought nothing of 15 personal hours of hard work each day, and have given this hard work willingly because of their absorbing interest in their own enterprising ability.
" Now, Government spokesmen have already assured the industry that it does not intend to lose these experts, when and if nationalization comes, and these men can hardly be blamed if they should decide to bring their hours of work in line with civil servants.
"it must be admitted that civil service routine and civil service hours of work already laid down must necessarily restrict output per day, at least when compared with a similar output from a man who, by reason of the interest he has in his own business, is free and untrammelled and able to use his initiative as he wills. and is prepared to put in extra effort.
"Compare the Government officials' output per day per man against that of the haulage contractors mentioned above and it will be instantly realized that if the road transport industry is to maintain its efficiency, it will require many times the personnel to run it.
"Precisely where is the Government going to get them?'