Insurance Policy
Page 73
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By JANUS
ME surprise may have been felt, if not expressed. that e Road Haulage Association should choose this time make a fresh appeal to their members for contribu:o a publicity fund. The odds are still on a general n towards the end of October_ There will be little )r more probably no time, in which to spend on pre n propaganda any further money that may be raised y as a result of the new appeal. For at least three before the election, expenditure on advertising that any way be said to have a political objective must be !d carefully, to ensure that no part of it may be ed as directly helping the cause of an individual ate. As far as the R.H.A. are concerned, local ising may well have to be suspended or cancelled the no-man's period. This may not he necessary dvertising in the national or specialized Press, but a these media it might be unadvisable to increase the f expenditure. New contributions to the R.H.A. aay therefore have no effect whatever upon the result next election.
her consideration shows that more money is urgently
even taking the short-term view. The latest letter mbcrs from their national chairman, Mr. R. N. a, gives more than a hint that the original fund will austed in October. Justifiably in the circumstances. FLA. are banking upon an autumn election. This ittedly a gamble, although the odds are good. The Minister has the last word in advising when the deekes place, and he is entitled to choose any date up to [960. If he prefers spring to autumn, there might be nonth interval of which the R.H.A.. with a fund i depleted, are unable to take full advantage. Sheer ncy prompts them to endeavour to insure against ossibility by asking for more money immediately.
Electorate's Opinion possibility is suggested, rather than set out specific. Mr. Ingram's letter. He speaks of " one last opporto assist in the final destruction of the nationalization and bids members take heart from the example set National Union of Manufacturers, the Institute of ars and the iron and steel industry, whose actions ly bear witness to a belief that anti-nationalization anda can influence the opinion of the electorate. The )tion behind Mr. Ingram's argument must be that the ate may not have the chance to express their opinion polls until some months after the fancied date in
:r.
le midst of a battle for survival, it is perhaps too o expect people to make plans for what will happen le war. Many of our present international troubles traced back to the desire to win without thought morrow. in making his appeal, Mr. Ingram may well ad in mind, without giving it expression, the need k beyond the election, whenever it may come and er the result.
Lhour victory would mean a disaster for road haulage free enterprise, but there would still be scope for a -uggle to mitigate the effects. Public sympathy is with flier, if only because he is the archetype of the little ;ainst the industrial colossus, State-owned or other= of " us" as opposedto one of "them." The its, even if victorious, would be well advised not to public opinion. In the years immediately following the war, it was conditioned to controls and inconvenience and peremptory orders from above. It is no longer in that shell-shocked state, and is quick to protest .against what appears to be injustice or victimization. Hauliers must be prepared to take advantage of this attitude of public mind, the more so as they have an excellent case by any standards. If they are to make an adequate impression, they must work hard and they must have the backing of a_ substantial fund to sustain their efforts.
The Socialists have pledged themselves to renationalize, and will almost certainly introduce the appropriate legislation if they are given the chance. When this happens, the hauliers will have to redouble their efforts to see that every clause of the Bill is fought at each stage, and is attacked both inside and outside Par]iament. Every concession will be of value, and may well mean for some hauliers the difference between survival and extinction. They will all be affected in some way or another, and they are deluding themselves if they imagine otherwise. In his letter, Mr. Ingram draws attention to some of the dangers. Operators would be driven from the long-distance field into "other haulage spheres." In competition with them would be "a stronger and vaster nationalized road haulage undertaking operating on all types of road haulage work and continuing to operate whether it makes a profit or not." He might well have painted an even gloomier picture.
Old-fashioned Principles Hauliers can scarcely avoid hoping ardently that the Conservatives will win the election. The worst danger confronting them will be put into cold storage. They would still be wise to do what they can to liquidate the danger completely. One lesson the Socialists would learn from defeat is the advisability of jettisoning some of their more old-tashioned principles, such as the belief in nationalization, and the lesson would be helped by hauliers taking care to keep the public aware of their importance and efficiency. Whatever method is adopted to do this, it calls for some, expenditure.
There is no guarantee that hauliers will be given everything they ask from the Conservatives. Whatever Government comes into power will still have the railway problem on its hands. There are perhaps four ways in which the problem can be worked out: the railways will either win through to solvency, or disappear, or be given a subsidy, or be protected by restrictions on other transport operators. The first two possibilities are unlikely so far as one can judge from present trends and opinions. The other possibilities, especially the threat of further restrictions, are bound to disturb the haulier. He must pull his full weight in discussions with politicians and in his general public relations. Once again, this means strengthening his association by financial contributions.
It is as important now as it ever was to keep up a campaign in the Press and elsewhere to demonstrate the impressive scope and diversity of the road haulage industry. These are the industry's most notable assets, and they are lost or submerged in the large nationally owned organization, however able the people running it may be. The advertising and publicity over the past few months are no more than a beginning to a prolonged campaign.