The Industry No Longer Hides Its Light
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Strorzg Public Relations Committee Formed and Steps Taken to Tell the Public What Is Being Done or Planned
FpR Jong we have been pressing for more publicity for our industry. Now, something is to be done in the matter, and a strong Public Relations Committee Of the motor industry of Great Britain has been formed with this object in View. The members are: Sir Miles Thomas, D.F.C. (Nuffield Organization), chairman; Coldnel A. C. R. Waite, M.C. (Austin): .Major G. Bradstock, MC.. (University Motors), and Messrs. A. F, Palmer Phillips (Vauxhall and President, S.M.M.T.); A... Hall (Ford); L. Ken ward (Dunlop); Benjamin King, (Dodge Bros.);' GeOrge Lucas (PreSident, M.A.A.); R. C. Rootes (RooteS); H. G. Starley, (Champion Plug). . At a meeting held on August 12, Sir Miles Thomas explained the objects of the new Committee, and referred to some of the great work which had been done by the industry in the war effort. He said the pr.-occupations of all its men-tbers in this had until now, been so intense that there had been neither tithe' nor opportunity for any account of its manifold activities to be given. Even now, for obvious reasons, the exploits of individual concerns cannot :he pub. lished, but .a collective account is now a practical possibility and; quite apart. from this short résumé, will, We understand, be .dealt With by allocating to this subject :a certain proportion, of the industry's advertising.
lridustry's Great Part in Re-arming The average man is apt to look at the industry as being more or less closed down during the war, simply because motoring is much curtailed, but only through the technique of production built up by the industry in the years before the war has it been possible for Britain to arm with such speed, vigour and effectiveness . as it did after Dunkirk.
All the principles of modern jigging and machine tools, learned by a highly efficient manufacturing industry, were switched over to the production of weapons of war.
Stories are legion concerning the many tasks the industry has been called upon to perform.. Sometimes it has had to revolutionize . prevailing production methods. For example, when the call was made for increased supplies of torpedoes, 'a number of serious problems bad to be solved quickly. With the accepted manufacturing method, a vast number of skilled craftsmen would have been involved, but a certain concern was called in to co-operate, .and promptly started to " prodactionize " the job. By working. to tighter, limits on drawings, production was raised by a considerable margin, meanwhile decreasing the number of man-hours involved, and the. need for all but a small number of craftsmen„ who were then transferred• to other, priority jobs where their skill was more economically employed.
. As regards major repairs to vehicles in the Home Forces, these are 'to-day carried out by'the ,retail side of the motor trade, whilst, in conjunction with the War Office, Motor traders all over the country have organized and operated training schools, for Army mechanics and have already dealt with many thousands.
.Even the sporting side has played its part, and the tricks learned in waterproofing electrical ignition. systems in pre-war motor trials have been used in fitting transport for beach assault landings.
Not only the production, but the repair of aircraft,' too, is yet another job entrusted to our industry. It has c16.1t with literally tens of thousands of bombers and fighters and made them again fit to fly.
The provision of transport vehicles, rmth "heavy and light, is but a tithe•of the contribution of the industry to the war effort, for it has also applied its manufacturing technique to the production of shells, bombs, mines, torpedoes, mortars, aero engines, Tanks, etc., and the task continues with unabated energy.
Another major factor is fhat the motor industry alone possessed an advantage of national significance—the technique for training recruited labour from the ranks of the Unskilled. The
principle of breaking down ,complicated jobs to simple operations was first developed by . our industry, and thus provided a faultless system for imparting knowledge to the vast army of men and women now employed in arms manufacture.
Not" content with this, the industry formed a personnel pool. to staff new motorized units, stores and repair shops for the Army and Air Force, and provided the management, planners, cost accountants. and 'key employees for many dispersed factories.
The Motor agents and their staffs must not be forgotten. The repair shops-of practically all these e-stabliShments have been turned into highly efficient production units. The repair and maintenance mechanics of yesterday are keeping' vital transport on the move, tending "-wounded " vehicles and repairing Tanks.
'Before the War the motor industry of Great Britain gave employment .directly and indirectly 'to' 1,385,000 people. To-day, the figure-stands far in excess
of that number. It also represents a vast potential of post-war employment from pithead through to service station, .
Transport Costs Affect Whole Community 'Whether for the carriage of passengers or good's, the Lost at which transport vehicles can he purchased and operated has a direct effect on, the livelihood of the community. The longdisMrice lorry and the grocer's van play their 'part ultimately in the daily budget of the housewife. In fact, road transport is a ' vital thread in the economic fabric of the Nation.
Given ,fair opportunity and encouragement, the .industry can absorb hundreds of thousands *of workers in employment. It can command 'export markets and thus prime the pipe-liues of international trade, and is a most powerful factor in the restoration of the Nation's prosperity.
The Speed with which the industry can get back into production after the war will be *much quicker than is popularly supposed; broVided that certain restrictions be removed.
. In, peace-time, dr in war-time, the industry is one .of our most valuable 'assets, and deserves to be looked upon not as the goose that lays the golden eggs " of taxation, but one of the most prized pedigree animals in the national stud.