The "Co-ops"
Page 40
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and the Transport
Bill
By "Scottish Democrat"
AS reported in "The Commercial Motor" on March 28, Mr. McPhail, of the S.C.W.S., when addressing the delegates at the annual meeting of the Scottish Co-operative Transport Association in Glasgow, referred to the Transport Bill. He presumably painted a luxurious picture which we have heard so much about at meetings, and published in the Press by the Socialist Party, of all the big, ripe plums that are to be gathered after transport is taken over by the State.
Good Luck!
I have no doubt that Mr. McPhail can afford to be a little bit more chirpy to-day, than perhaps he was, say a month ago, when the cloud was hanging heavy over his head regarding the ban on C-licence holders. I, for one, do not grudge the C-licence operators this crumb of comfort—the very reverse. I say, good luck to them in being able to get out of the clutches of the bureaucrats and muddlers.
I have always maintained that action would be taken by the Co-operative Movement to extricate the Co-operatives, as they are amongst the largest users of this class of transport. Further, as the Co-operative Movement had a big hand in returning this party to power, Mr. Barnes and company could not afford to penalize one of their strongest supporters.
Another point that Mr. McPhail refers to is competition. Of course, this is a thorn in the Co-op. flesh. Come along, Mr. McPhail, adopt the " live and let live" policy. I say competition is the life of trade, provided it be clean and healthy.
Paradox There is one point that I would like to stress. How do Mr. McPhail and others arrive at their plea that operational costs will be reduced to a minimum, when we all know the amount of deadheads or " passengers " carried by ministry departments? Perhaps Mr. McPhail is working out his figures on the same lines as a Ccr-operative association did a good number of years ago, when it took over a few farms and burnt its fingers severely.
All the Co-operative members were up in arms, calling for resignations; at their money being ruthlessly wasted in carrying a liability, as the management stated in its report that so much of the money was being utilized to subsidize the farms, which, hitherto, had made profits for the predeceslors. This particular Co-operative association, before launching out on these vast lines, paid dividends of 4s. and 4s. 4d.
in the El, but before the war was lucky to return a dividend of 2s. and 2s. 2d. Perhaps Messrs. McPhail and Barnes will run their transport on similar lines, and then Mr. Barnes will turn to the ratepayers, informing them that the Transport Commission will require a subsidy.
The only crumb of consolation we ex-operators will have, is that those who put their party into Whitehall will have to dip deep into their pockets to meet their party's needs. Then, they will be wishing that they had sent them to Wormwood Scrubs instead of Whitehall, as it would have been much easier on the ratepayers to keep them confined there!
There is another point that I would like to emphasize to Aand B-licence operators. Don't you think we are relying too much on our associations to see us through, merely hoping for the best? What does this party care for posters, protest meetings, petitions, etc.? It is determined to brush everything aside to reach its goal. Why can't the operators take up a stand and tell this party to keep their hands off what is entirely our .own property? The vehicles were put there, not by State aid, but by years of toil and economical working.
Tenth Commandment It is, surely, too bad when you envy your neighbour's property and make up your mind to confiscate it, irrespective of resentment. Do Messrs. Attlee, Barnes and company ever take the trouble to lift up their Bibles and look at the Tenth Commandment, where it clearly states: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, etc."? Let us give ourselves a shake up and show a united front along with our association.
I am amused at the Prime Minister launching appeals to the country over the radio, to do its utmost to preserve a free and democratic nation. I wonder if he thinks for a minute of the meaning of democracy. Instead, he and his henchmen are arming the country up to the teeth with bureaucracy. We criticized Germany for Hitlerism, and now we will have to fight the Whitehall Hitters. Why was all the blood shed and money spent in the past two wars?
Freedom Still Dear Come, Britons, show what we are made of and that we still have the heart and guts to save our country; that after having fought for our freedom we still demand it. We have tackled worse before, so let's have some of the bulldog spirit again, and show the Government that it has toyed with us long enough, and that we can still rally the old country under the flag of freedom.