THE GERMAN MINISTER
Page 50
Page 51
Page 52
Page 53
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
'RANSPORT INTERVIEWED
On Behalf of "'The Commercial Motor,"Jacq Harms Tiepen has Spent a Vitally Interesting Three Hours with Freiherr von Eltz Riibenach A Frank and Unbiased Statement Regarding the Important Measures Taken by the German Government to Encourage Transport by Road
IT was one of those " busy " afternoons in the Wilhelmstrasse when I visited the Minister of Transport and found him in a room with deep easy chairs en a red carpet, on the wall a large painting of the Pyrenees and two large maps, one showing the waterways and the other the railway net of Germany.
"But where is the map of the automobile highways you are building?" I had the courage to ask.
The Minister replied: "At the Motor Show, on the wall of the new hall where the railway and the post show their exhibits. On this map you will have seen that on March 1 we were already building 850 kiloms. of new motor highways, and were about to begin the construction of a further 430 idioms; we will construct 1,000 Idioms per year for seven years to come."
Although in the big building a large number of clerks was still busy long after six—the Minister himself never leaves before half-past seven, when he has to begin his meetings in the General Post Office, as he is also the Postmaster-General—he found the way and time to inform me of his ideas regarding "the motorization" of transport as the second epoch of a development of 100 years. At first the world was equipped with railways, then in the second period motors and motorcycles have created a new enlargement of transport—the third epoch will be that of travel by air.
How the Government is Helping Road Transport.
"Do you know why we encourage motorization?" asked the Minister, and continued: "Once during a session of Parliament, Bismarck, when the reproach was made that the ship of Government always sailed before the wind, replied: What, after all, should we do? The Government can do nothing but set the sails ; the wind is made by others.'
"In motorization a sharp wind is blowing. The invention of the motorcar has commenced its triumphal march through the whole world ; and whilst Governmental and social customs and organizations assume an always increasing collectivistical character, a technical tendency in the field of transportation (which tendency was originally a more individualistic one) has gained superiority. The wind is blowing, and the Government has decided to avail itself of its full power. It will set the sails.
Some Striking Figures.
"The proportion between motorcars and inhabitants in Germany in 1929 was about 67 private motorcars per 10,000 inhabitants, whilst the proportion in France was 233 and in England 240.
"In 1030 the pace began to decrease, and from 1931 to 1932—for the first time since the war—the number of cars in use dwindled to a most alarming extent. Much more dangerous, however, was the internal decline of our traffic machinery. The superannuated vehicles were not effectively replaced, the stock lost its value, and the quality deteriorated.
"At a given stock of 580,000 private motors Germany should, in a year's time, replace about 80,000 cars by new ones, if she wishes to retain her stock of cars on the same standard in respect of quantity and quality. In 1931, however, not more than 56,000 new private cars were added, and in 1932 only 41,000, whilst the decrease B32 was even more alarming with regard to motor lorries. The motor vehicle industry as well as mechanical road transport were obviously going to the dogs..
"The encouragement of motor traffic by the reduction of the motorcar tax or the tax on fuel was dangerous, owing to its effect upon the public finances.
"The elimination of general unemployment was the first strategic aim of the fight of the National-Socialist Government for the regeneration of the people. And the motor industry was considered to lick the correct basis of operations.
"You will certainly," said the Minister, "recall the words of Adolf Hitler in his speech of February 11, 1933. Here they are : 'When, during the first part of the past century, the railway began its unprecedented triumphal march, not only external revolution of traffic took place, but also one of an interior nature. The means for transportation ceased to be servants and became masters, who regulate and determine the events of life. What the railway never was able to accomplish, namely, the supplanting of animal power by man-built
machinery, with the evolution of the motor vehicle and the aeroplane, apparently has become reality. A rail bound means for transport could merely form a wide-meshed net of traffic, but never an all-embracing one. The motorcar is able to join to the network of traffic the smallest village, the most isolated farm. On the ground the motorcar and in the air the aeroplane have made accessible one territory of the earth after the other. The smallest iso lated village enjoys the same connection to world traffic as the oasis of the desert' Now, from this clear vision of the nature and possibilities of evolution imminent in motor traffic the password ' motorization ' has been created. This password offers the possibility of successfully combating the general unemployment by utilizing the work of thousands of unemployed in the motor industry as well as.for the construction of super highways.
", We have commenced by freeing from taxation those vehicles delivered ex factory. All motorcars for private. use sold subsequent to March 30, 1933, have been exempted from taxes. This means a decrease of 10 per cent. to 15 per cent, in the maintenance cost of small and medium cars.
"Then followed the Act of May 26, 1933, which instituted considerable tax reductions for cars produced prior to 1933. According to this Act the owner of a car more than three years old could obtain exemption from future taxes by paying tax for a year and a half ; a. somewhat higher payment has been stipulated for cars that have been used for a shorter period.
"Further," said the Minister, "an effective fight took place against the decline of goods road transport. The Att of June 1, 1933, concerning the decrease of unemployment brought, amongst other things, the exemption from taxation of vehicle replacements. For years the renewal of lorries and vans had been postponed by their owners in the hope of an economic improvement. A new incentive was now offered to eliminate superannuated vehicles • and to replace them by new ones, because the entire purchase price could be deducted when making assessments for income and other taxes.
"Furthermore, a considerable reduction took place in the fees charged for official work, such as vehicle licensing, stamping number plates, supplying drivers' licences, compulsory training for drivers, and the examination of future drivers. Temporarily unused cars can now be relicensed without expert inspection, even if they have been unoperated for more than eight months.
"The Government has also given financial assistance to motorcar sport, whereby the evolution of high-quality vehicles and the training of the young are encouraged.
The Results of Encouragement by the Government.
"Now you will see what all this is leading to," continued the Minister. "Over 80,000 new private cars have been sold in 1933, which is double the number in 1932, so that the decline of stoclt has successfully been stopped. The census of vehicles taken early in 1934 will certainly show a considerable increase in private cars; also—and this is of vital importance—the average quality shows an improvement for the first time, the greater number of superannuated vehicles has been eliminated, and the stock has been modernized.
"Licences for new lorries increased from 7,000 in 1932 to 11,500 in 1933. This is a result of the exemption of replacements from taxation, but also of the progressive improvement of the general economic situation.
"The increase in the licensing of new cars has, however, not taken place at the expense of the old. In 1933 almost the same number of used cars were sold as in 1932. At the end of 19:33 we had—plus the cars admitted ex factory—about 200,000 private cars free of taxes; in other words, one-third of the total stock.
Good Effects on Whole Economic System. "The production of the motor industry rose in 1933— as an estimate—by 150 million R.M. up to a total of about 450 million R.M.
"The effect of the increased scale of production in the motor industry upon the entire German economic system cannot be described here in detail. The following, however, should be borne in mind : With a total production of about 450 million R.M. in 1933, orders have been placed for accessories, parts, material, half-finished material, etc., to an estimated amount of 220 million R.M. This represents an increase of 70 million R.M. on the orders placed in 1032.
"At a production valise of about 450 million R.M. the total turnover of the motor transportation industry must be estimated to total at least 3,000 million R.M. Included in this are the following items : the turnovers of the petrol and tyre industries, the repair shops and so forth. As an estimate, 30,000 more workmen were employed. The additional employment in the allied industries and in those supplying accessories amounted to about 60,000.
"At the end of 1933 5,000 workmen and 400 engineers and technicians were employed in constructive work connected with the new highways. The industries supplying building material, particularly stone and cement, as well as the iron and steel factories, were stimulated by the placing of orders. We are fully entitled to figure that 75,000 to 100,000 hands have found new employment and are enabled to earn their living owing to the measures taken in the field of road mechanical transport."
The Policy of the Railways.
In answer to my query as to the policy of the railways, the Minieter replied : "The, second important problem of traffic policy has been for a number of years the co-ordination of the motor vehicle to the national transport system, the beneficial co-operation of railway and road motor.
"The solution found by Adolf Hitler was as simple as it was comprehensive. The Reich-Railway was made the organizer of motorization by granting to it a controlling influence on the construction of the great system of motor roads. The huge financial capacity and farreaching organization of the railway of the Reich have unrestrictedly been placed at the disposal of the promotion of motorization. Within the limits of the programme for the supplying of work during 1933-34 30 million R.M. were devoted to the purchase of lorries.
"Contracts were arranged between the Reich-Railway and private owners in order to place at the disposal of the railway their existing lorries. From May, 1933, to the end of the year about 300 lorry lines were organized by the Reich-Railway for the purpose of public transport The total number of lines for the transport of goods by lorry then amounted to 358, nearly all being operated with the assistance of private companies.
"The third point on which all efforts were focused was the extension and adaptation of roads to modern requirements. The foundation was laid by an Act dated June 1, 1933, regarding the establishing of an enterprise called Reichsautobahnene and already 1,125 kiloms. of special motor roads are in the course of construction."
Commercial-vehicle Operators Not So Satisfied.
Reverting to the matter of taxation, the Minister remarked: "The owners of lorries and buses have frequently shown their disappointment at being neglected in connection with the reduction in direct vehicle taxation. These owners and operating companies are automatically subject to very high charges, due to the fact that their vehicles are operated daily for many hours, and that they consume highly taxed fuel on a large scale.
"It is, however, impossible to do everything at once. The budget of the Reich has to be balanced, and the Reich is ,not in a position to waive any possible income. If the Reich complied with all wishes at the same time, nothing fundamental could be achieved.
"In many cases commercial-vehicle owners have discovered a compromise by adopting the economical oil E34 engine, the development of which has been protected by " the Reich in many ways, even by financial assistance. The Government will certainly continue lending its assistance to this development of the compressionignition engine.
"It falls to my share as Minister of Transport of the Reich to solve the problem of the fight between road motor and railway, and to solve it in such a manner that the motor vehicle is not prevented from developing its essential ability to serve the people and promote public economy ; at the same time this must not prevent the railway—which will always be indispensable—from fulfilling its great vocation.
"Concerning the method, I have some ideas which result from the work of my Ministry and which I have already mentioned in one of my public speeches. The decision of Adolf Hitler has not yet been made. Its tendency, however, is shown in the development of the Reichsautobahngesetze The German railway company will enjoy a leading position in the highways enterprise, because the struggle between railway and motor can easily be settled by the creation of a common management for the entire traffic of goods over long distances, in the same way as the railway has been induced to become an operator of lorry lines on a large scale. Sound motorization has been initiated in this manner."
It is interesting to know what this Minister, in whose hands are concentrated all problems of transport, by sea, by rail, by road, and by inland waterway, thinks about the importance of road transport.
A New Law in Preparation.
The Minister did not wish to tell me anything regarding weight restrictions, speed limits, etc., because the drafting department of the ministry will publish a new by-law within the next few months. He made this declaration, however, "The greatest possibilities are to be found in the field of legislation. I do not refer here to the legislation regarding taxation, nor to the organization of roads, these being the work of other governmental departments, but only to that affecting the vehicle itself, licensing and traffic control. Although these were originally police regulations, they are closely connected with economy and traffic Acts. You are surely aware that the old taxation formula has had a fatal influence on the evolution of the German motor vehicle? The stipulations regarding the width, length, weight, axle pressure, etc., the regulations regarding the speed limit, braking distance, the problem of the tyres, etc., have also a strong influence on the economic and industrial development. The attitude taken towards the motor by pedestrians, owners of horse-drawn vehicles, etc., is also a very important factor.
"For the first time these things are to be jointly regulated by a new Road Traffic Act. It is intended not to achieve safety of traffic by too many individual technical provisions apt to disturb technical evolution. I am glad to mention that members of my ministry have succeeded in replacing 12 single-spaced typewritten pages of old regulations by a short clause of five lines.
The Position of the German Motor Industry.
"It is interesting to bear in mind the important position taken by the motor industry in the economic system of our country. Let me compare the capital invested in Germany in the purchase of technical means for transport in use at the present moment :
"You will notice from these figures. that the motor already takes the second place amongst the German means for transport, and that its value—if doubled— would surpass that of the railway. We intend to achieve such doubling, the question being by what means I can help in my capacity as Minister of Transport.
"First there is the possibility of immediate financial assistance. There are two fields, in which the State agrees to grant such immediate furtherance, namely, the field of research and the field of sport. The latter has two sub-divisions, that of the equipment and that of competitions; private financial power is insufficient for both these fields. I have therefore granted certain subventions for the supplying of sporting accessories,' and shall continue to do so. The racing cars produced by Mercedes and Auto-Union will have to appear next year on the great racing-courses and will have to prove their quality. I sincerely trust that German racing cars will prove their first-class capability at the international competitions. Should victory crown their path, we shall continue in our effort to maintain our position; if not, we shall have to double our efforts to regain our former position.
"In the field of research vast problems arise from the construction of the super-roads of the Reich. I consider it the duty of the State to supply the funds for the ascertaining of useful scientific data to form the foundation on which the development of vehicles and fuel can be based.
A Motor Industry Research Board Constituted.
"To secure systematic development, a research board comprising the most qualified scientists covering the field of the motor industry has been formed by me. • "In order, however, to take care that the intended research work is carried on in a spirit not-too-far distant from the requirements actually wanted, I shall submit the research-programme of each year to a councA of experts and if necessary, permit modification by the organization of motor-vehicle-producers and operators. In this way I hope to encourage pure science, but practical requirements will equally be taken care of. In both these fields of sport and research the financial resources
which were at the disposal of the Reich in connection with the furthering of the interests of the motorcar industry are, for the present, exhausted," Conclusions to be Drawn.
This shows how the German Government is helping road-transport. I have visited the motor-manufactur
ing plants in France, Italy and Czechoslovakia, and this is what my eyes have shown me: If a government helps road-transport the finances of the country will increase in value. In Germany a reduction of taxation by 75 million R,M. in one year has meant 56 million R.M. additional income tax.
I have visited the works of Mercedes-Benz in Gag-genau, producing 500 oil-engined lorries a month and operating 24 hours a day, yet French motor factories are still working only eight hours a day, and I say this: a new era is born—the era of the motorization of transport. The organization of road-transport does not make a government lose money, but win money.
In this connection Minister Von Eltz Riibenach gave the following explanation "The powers in the population craving for motorization are of extraordinary strength. Should they become unchained, it is most probable that the regeneration of the motor industry would strongly influence all other industries," These are the principles by which a government must profit.
Very late in the evening I walked through the oldfashioned halls of the Ministry building with their big filing cabinets along the walls. I met there Ministerial.direktor Dr. lug. Brandenburg, who is accustomed to work late at night. He is an important personage at the Ministry, and "you never can see him because he is always busy," I had been informed at the Embassy of the Netherlands some days previously. I had, however, seen him on that same morning and had smoked a cigarette with him. When he saw me now he was more than astonished. " Zura Teufel," he said, with• big eyes, "You still here? '
But in the office of the Transport Minister his "Fraulein " secretary was still busily typing his speech to be given at the Academy next morning.