Private Enterprtse Guaranteed
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riA LUNCHEON in honour of Lord Wootton, P.C., C.H., D.L., LL.D., who was recently elected president of the National Road Transport Federation, was held at the Savoy Hotel, London, last Tuesday.
The chairman, Mr. H. T. Dutfield, M.Inst.T., chairman of the Federation and of the R.H.A., referred to Lord Woolton as one of the leading men' in this country. He said that all would agree as to the work he did in the recent ,war. He had gained the affection of the inhabitants by his selfsacrificial work and great patriotism. He was a most successful Minister of Food.
With regard to the Transport Bill, this was an attack on all forms of transport, and they were subject to the tibes of Ministers of the Crown.
Road transport would oppose the Bill to the last ditch. It was a bad Bill, and would be disastrous to trade and industry. Although the haulage industry was to be exterminated, Lord Wootton had accepted the presidency of the Federation.
Lord Wootton said we lived in peculiar times and met peculiar people, but he had never known a political party which treated its adherents so roughly. No other Bill could have been introduced which adversely affected so many people. Its passage through the House of Commons was the negation of democratic freedom. If the people wanted such a Bill they must have it, but did they want it? Even on the number of constituents represented by the vote in the House, there was a majority of nearly 300,000 against it.
The House of Lords was trying to der its duty as a revising assembly, and he hoped that the Bill would be bettered, but when this was don a it would be the Government's business to run the transport, and he could see nothing but chaos ahead. He was amazed at the temerity of people who thought that in six months they could operate such a vast project.
The toast of the guests was proposed by Mr. F. J. Speight, M.Inst.T. In reply, Sir David Maxwell Fyfe, K.C., M.P., said that the industry had gained marvellous adherents and many friends, The danger was loss of personnel; this and other resources should be preserved for the return to private enterprise, which he guaranteed.