Bureaucrats Blind to Transport's Value
Page 12
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raking raw materials reach the manufacturing E powers that are charged with the duty of centres, still too frequently work on the assumption that it is quicker or better to send them by rail. Strange as it may seem, many of the high-ups do not or will not believe in road transport's efficiency and economy. The Nation has a right to expect mental flexibility on the part of its responsible officials, otherwise, how can emergencies be satisfactorily handled?
The position is that transport matters are too often definitely bungled. As has been pointed out in these columns before, the bureaucrat is an individual who always has the "perfect explanation." That is not difficult to-day. You merely say in a. loud voice : "There's a war on you know, old ,fellow." .
We all know by now that we have a war on our hands, we know there is certain to be some congestion and we expect. it to be dealt with Af.0 effiCiently. But is it? Let us take one instance. At a certain port inevitable delays arose recently. Was all power switched on in order to clear the matter up? No, the railways were allowed to carry on until deliveries were weeks behind, then road transport was called in almost at the last moment to assist in disposing of the dangerous accumulation.
Thus is unnecessary dislocation caused by a refusal to utilize road transport's flexibility in the first case. The enemy would like to clog our transport, but the mid-Victorian outlook can do it without any assistance.
To turn to another point . . . As. a class' industrial transport managers must be rated highly and they, especiallY, can assist both road and rail in their difficulties. By the personal attention of a senior official to delays at the loading deck it is frequently possible to ease considerably the carriers' problems.