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The Treatment of Essential Industries.

16th November 1920
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Page 1, 16th November 1920 — The Treatment of Essential Industries.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

OR SOME TIME past there have been doubts as to whether the Government would ever rein troduce legislation aiming at the prevention of dumping, after the failure of its first attempt. Now, as recently stated in these columns, we have assurance that such legislation, coupled with measures for the safeguarding of key industries, is contemplated, though our information is to the effect that if, as seems probable, any serious opposition to the antidumpling clauses losecornes apparent, these will be somewhat readily dropped.

The point to which we wish to draw attention at the moment is that, apparently, nothing whatever is being done even to give. the Government power to assist essential industries, as distinct from key industries. We have already mentioned that there is great difficulty in defining just what a key industry is. Consequently, the eefection of those which will be safeguarded, if the Government's proposals are accepted, will, in fact, be merely the result of the compilation of a somewhat arbitrary list.

It is more easy to say what is an essential industry, and, to our minds; the Government should, at least, make an effort to, obtain either power to act in the interests of such industries when seriously threatened or the right to. investigate the circumstances of such industries and, if satisfied, to seek powers from the House of Commons to deal with the case in some manner which would be devised, with due regard to all the special circumstances.

This last suggestion may seem rather complicated. The trouble is, however, that in its present frame of mind the House of Commons is not much inclined to grant new powers to the Government. It might, therefore, be undesirable to seek such powers: On the other hand, unless some specific arrangement is made which creates machinery for the detailed investigation of the circumstances of individual industries, each industry taken separately can be and is told that the Government can do nothing for it without establishing a precedent which would lead heaven knows where! The real essence of our proposal is, therefore, to make it at least possible for Parliament to do something, if it wishes, for an essential industry without being hampered by this notion of precedent and its consequenees.

The Report of Lord Balfour of Burleigh's Committee contained a suggestion very much on these lines. It also pointedout that the difficulties of the various industries are due to different causes, or, alternatively, to the same Causes in different propors tions. We have, of course, in making these remarks had the motor industry specifically in mind. Even in the sections of this one industry one finds differing circumstances and arguments. We have often drawn attention to the special case of the agricultural motor industry. We have also pointed out that the consmercial vehicle industry has been subjected tb exce tional competition owing to the marketingof enormous numbers of military vehicles. It would be absnrd to argue that, if something were done for either one of these industries, the Government would necessarily be committed to similar action on behalf of the other, or on behalf of theprivate-car or motorcycle industry.

It is still more absurd to suggest that, if something is done for some section of the motor industry, a precedent is necessarily established in respect of a score of other quite distinct industries, each having its own problems, its own conditions, and its own difficulties.

Auxiliary Springing.

AS WILL be seen from the articles, appearing in our last and the present issues, dealing with the collection of captured vehicles, which the military authorities have made at Aldershot, in neartY every instance Some form of auxiliary suspension supplements the semi-elliptic springs which are usually employed. This in most cases, takes the form of a coil spring at either end. The reason for this was, of course, the desirability of compensating in some way for the absence of rubber tyres, by making the suspension system more flexible. Most of these lorries had steel tyres and, , considering the nature of the roads which had to be traversed, it is easy to. appi-eciate that some effort at improvement. in this way must have been essential, as a war-time expedient.

None the less, the point is one that might be well worth consideration in connection with vehicles intended for ordinary commercial use.

In the touring ear world, auxiliary coil springs have been in evidence for many years, and, although they cannot be said to have achieved a wide popularity, there is no doubt that a certain amount of benefit—if only a little—is derived from their use.

The coil spring will deflect in response to minor road shocks which are insufficient to overcome the internal friction of the laminated spring, and in that way 'insulate the chassis from _shocks, which otherwise would be transmitted directly to it. That ,is the advantage to be obtained if it be thought w reth while. The most obvious objection to the use of these auxiliary devices on a heavy vehicle is the possibility of breakage. On some of the German vehicles the risk of danger from this source was -provided against by thense of bell cranks interposed between the main springs and the auxiliaries, which seems a good arrangement. We commend the consideration of this questien to heavy vehicle designers.

The Futureof Military Transport.

THE-. ARTICLES dealing with German military transport vehicleS, published in this and the preceding issues, give some idea of the amount of attention which was devoted to the requirements of military transport-by the German engineers.

Although, in the period of reaction which inevitably succeeds a world war, it is natural that the question of military transport 'should fall somewhat into the background, and that it should be regarded with a feeling akin to nausea by •engineers eager to push on with the industries of peace, this is a• question which cannot-entirely be neglected.

Motor transport has become an indispensable

• adjunet, to the forces of the Crown, and its developreent,is. ust. as necessary, in the interests

-While the military authorities have, undoubtedly, accumulated a vast fund of most valuable knowledge out of their five years' and More experience of road transport inemany theatres of war, the fact must not be overlooked that such experience is liable very rapidly to become out of 'date.

Not-only' in any future Near is the main scene. of .. conflict likely to be shifted, with a corresponding alteration in the nature of the terrain which must be traversed (although it must be admitted that the late war provided, and still provides, experience under an unparalleled variety of conditions), but the develop ment of vehicles and methods for industrial purposes

proceeds at such a pace that military transport• equipment is liable to become obsolete much more

rapidly than the actual weapons of war. The motor vehicle designer is hard, at work, while the gun designer may, perhaps, be taking a well-earned rest. That is at once, the crux and the essential difficulty of the problem of military transportation. It necessitates the greatest vigilance and alertness • on the part of the M.T. branch of the Army.. It implies, essentially, the maintenance of fairly close

liaison between the manufacturers and the military. authorities, if only for the purposes of keeping the latter in touch with the trend of development.

It is hardly to be expected, in -View of the apparent remoteness of the next great war, that military con siderations. can be allowed to influence design to any ,great. extent., nor that manufaclprers can be expected to conform to certain principles of construction

which may be dear to the military mind: Rather, it

may be necessary; in the future, for military. ideas to accomModate themselves to civilian practice, and

the adaptation thereof: Nevertheless, a sympathetic and -co-operative attitude on both sides is clearly desirable.

it is only by the existence of such a -state, of affairs that real preparedness, in the military traceport sense, can be ensured..


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