A Basis for Organized Repression?
Page 40
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Big Business in the Haulage Industry as Represented by Eight of Its Leaders, Plans the Restriction of the Small Owner
By E. B. Howes (Managing Director, A. Saunders and Son (Harpenden), Lid.) THE great majority of hauliers in this country, some . tens of thousands of them, owes a deep debt of gratitude to the following, who are also haulage contractors:— Messrs. Arthur Andrews, Isaac Barrie, J. W. I3eresford, M.Inst.T., H. T. Duffield, M.Inst T., G. TM. Fairclough, M.Inst.T., L. W. Gupwell, M.Inst.T., J. S. Nicholl, C.B.E.', M.Inst:T., and J. F. E. Pye, J.P., A.M.Inst.T., etc. The _ credit is due to them for their franknees and boldness, in the clear exposition of their views.
They have collaborated in the writing of a pamphlet. It can be obtained post free for a shilling from Mr. J. S. Nichol], 3, Bonhill Street, London, E.C.2. It is well worth the money and I advise every operator to buy a copy and read it through from cover to cover. He will in that way discover what, these well-known leaders of the industry, prominent members of A.R.O., C.M.U.A. and S.J.C. propose-to do with all small operators. The pamphlet shows the shape of things to come in the road-haulage industry, as these individuals see it, and as they suggest that it should
be moulded. . • And what a shape, what a future or absence of a future— for all but a few of the well-placed big operators, such as, for example, the signatories to this remarkable document. In the first part, the pamphlet sets out the view, of these eight, that the road-haulage industry needs reorganizing, so that it may serve the Nation with the utmost efficiency. " Those who pioneered the industry" are to be afforded opportunity and encouragement to join in the' scheme.
This is how the reorganization is to he carried out: this is how the " pioneers" are to be encouraged.
As a preamble, it is pointed out that the haulage industry includes a few undertakings each owning several hundred vehicles, and a certain number-50 to 100. There is, however, a vast majority of the owner-driver or small-owner ,class.
Now, most people, reading the preamble about giving opportunities to hauliers, and knowing full well, as I do, that it is these small owners who were the true pioneers, naturally expect, reading farther on in this pamphlet, to . find described measures whereby these thousands of small owners are to 'be ensured security of tenures freedom to carry on their businesses, and a place in the sun.
Small Hauliers to be Penned • Nothing of the kind; these small owners, according to . the pamphlet, are clogging the wheels of progress. Before the haulage industry can develop along the lines which these men have in mind, the small owner must be suitably corralled so that, in effect, they will no longer be small owners, no longer in business for themselves, but subject to the magnifitent directive ability of big business—as big business is known in the haulage industry.
Such directive ability is, we'are clearly informed, entirely lacking amongst small owners, who have not enough sense to manage even their own `smaii businesses. It is stated ' that in these small concerns the owner combines the function of foreman and, often, clerk, and may be assisted by his wife and family. For that reason the number of small administrative men available to handle large-scale operations is negligible.
. The authors are just, but barely just, modest enough to indicate where men of administrative ability can be found. The reader is presumed to be at least intelligent enough to draw his own conclusions. One thing, at any rate, is plain: the writers of the pamphlet are firmly convinced that the time has now come for these small owners to cease exercising any abilities they may have. They must, in fact,' cease -to be—as small owners.
How is that to be done? Quite simply. All that is necessary is for the Minister of War Transport to take a hand. • One would have thought that experience of the Minister's handiwork would have deterred anyone from ever again invoking his aid. But no, these bold planners of the future of our industry have courage for anything.
They humbly and respectfully suggest that the Minister should apply to Parliament for the permission necessary to allow him to withdraw from certain A and B licensees the right, at present implied in most licences, to use their vehicles anywhere in the kingdom. All haulage concerns having, say, less than 60 tons of unladen weight should be so restricted and confined to local transport. That is not bad, for a start; more is, however, to follow. 'The Licensing Authority should be in a position to enforce local consolidation.
• The Procedure for Repression Note the procedure. First, small operators are to be depriyed of the right to operate, other than locally. Then, when they have all been nicely rounded up into districts and probably reduced to the condition of fighting like Icilkenny cats for the business available in the district (such business as is left when the big operators have taken their pickings), the Regional Transport Commissioners will decide that wasteful competition is occurring. Some will 'fail to obtain renewal of their licences; the remainder will be recommended "'to amalgamate.
In that way, without any cause for ill-feeling, or even regrets—on the part of the big' hauliers—the small owners will be (more or less) painlessly eliminated. There is a saving clause. Any small owner who is adverse to joining up or amalgamating would not be forced to do so. The mere idea of force is anathema to these eight experts. -Ile will merely have to reconcile him ielf to a still more limited radius of operation.
In other words, if he does ,not co-operate and join one of the bigger groups, thus losing first his independence and subsquently most of his livelihood and business, he will slowly be squeezed out of existence.
Who, it may well be asked, are these who so blithely and light-heartedly plan this scheme to ruin or absorb the thousands of small hauliers? What, if any:, is their claim to omniscience? I will make no attempt to answer either question directly. To the second 'there is, in any event, no reply, save that it exists only in their minds.
Those who ask the first question might usefully spend a little time recalling, first, that prodigious financial plan for amalgamating the whole industry ; it was called sometinies the Szarvasy Scheme and sometimes the Hindley Plan. Let them recall the names of those who were prominent in that proposal and then make a comparison. "Further, let them similarly recall the Waldorf Group, a, coterie of the larger hauliers who drew up a scheme of which the present Government Road Haulage Organization is a reasonably close copy. Let them compare the list of names of members of the Waldorf Group with the eight names at the head of -this article.
Lastly, I advise them to obtain a list of the members of the council of the S.J.C., and again compare them. There will thus be seen a link between all these, a purpose, so far as purpose of anything of this kind is ever available, proving to my mind the real intentions of many of those who set themselves forward as being 'our leaders. If we follow their lead we may all be drowned in the swiftrunning waters of monopoly.
We have thought it to be only fair for Mr. Howes, as a representative of a fairly large number of small hauliers, -to be afforded the opportunity of putting forward his views. These, however, are not necessarily those which are held by this journal—En.]