Let All Pull Together
Page 13
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N early Victorian text ran : "If every one his front did sweep, the village would be clean." Its direct application is obvious, for not so long ago every village street was inches deep in snow and slush. It is not, however, of the direct application of the text that we wish to write. We are not even concerned, at the moment, with the vexed and important problem of snow clearance. We are regarding those words in the wide sense in which they are clearly meant to be read. If every one were to do his part, the task would be well and quickly done, and we are, therefore, applying it to the industry in respect of its attitude towards the Government Haulage Scheme. If every haulier in the land were immediately to do his share, offering his vehicles for the Chartered Fleet, the Pool, or the Defence Lines, the difficulties confronting the Ministry of War Transport, difficulties of organization, which are real enough in all conscience, would be very considerably diminished, almost, perhaps, to vanishing point. The difficulties; most of them purely imaginary, which hauliers foresee, would be entirely swept away.
Give the Scheme a Fair Trial The scheme may not be perfect, but is it possible to name any which had that quality at its inception? It is a workable, practicable scheme. It is also, we believe, essential to improving the success of the country's war effort. On that ground alone it must have the support of every haulier who is a true Briton. Moreover, its imperfections cannot be proved, disproved or eradicated without test. Only by the whole-hearted support of every individual in the industry can it be given fair trial. Half-hearted action is more than likely to produce new defects as well as to exaggerate those already in being. Let it, therefore, have that adequate help.
Moreover, we are of opinion that the all-toofrequent petty complaints, the carping criticisms of minor faults, are quite uncalled for and are a drag upon the wheel of progress of the scheme. If there be delay in acknowledgement of an offer of vehicles, the probability is that there is reasonable cause. Openly to condemn the whole for some minor technical difficulty, is no way to encourage and ensure its success in the future.
Hauliers all over the country, in massed meeting after massed meeting, have promised their support. We say that they should implement that promise, and should do so in the widest and most generous interpretation of the spirit of the promise. There should be keen competition to be the first to have Vehicles enrolled, not the hanging back, waiting to see what the other fellow is going to do, which is the present attitude.
Hints to the Industry's Leaders We suggest, furthermore, that that is the manner in which the leaders of the industry should appeal to their fellows to participate in the scheme: to ask them, for their country's sake, to volunteer their services to the utmogt exteht of their abilities. We put this suggestion forward the while we deprecate the methods which are being too freely adopted, especially the threat of coercion which is being so commonly bruited amongst the operators. The former, and not the latter is the manner in which to gain support from free Britons.
This war is a fight for freedom. It will not be won by threats of coercion. Above all, we never forget, and it should not be forgotten by others, that the vast majority of the more responsible members of the industty is the remnant of many who volunteered their all in an earlier fight for freedom. What they have done once they will do again, if the appeal and the approach be made in the right way.
After many interviews and meetings with the officials of the Ministry, we have formed the opinion that they are entirely genuine in their wish for real co-operation with those members of the industry to whom the scheme is intended to apply.
In fact, it may be asserted that the attitude towards road transport has definitely changed for the better and augurs well for the future interests of all engaged in it, provided that operators reciprocate by playing their part.