A.R.O. Stages a "United Front" Meeting
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ABOUT 200 Yorkshire haulage operators attended what Mr. R. E. Britton, of hull, chairman of A.R.O.'s Yorkshire Area, described as a " United Froat " meeting, last week, in Leeds.
The audience heard the industry both, defended and criticized. Major the Hon. Eric Long, Parliamentary Liaison Officer to A.R.O., replied to an accusation which he said had been made " in very high quarters," as to the industry's stand to obtain better terms under the Government's long-distance haulage scheme. Outspoken criticism came from Councillor Charles Holds— worth, chairman of the C.M.U.A.'s North-eastern Division, with reference to the apathy 'which, he said, many operators displayed towards matters which were important but did not immediately touch their pockets.
Alluding to the largeattendance at the meeting, Councillor Holdswarth complained that many operators would attend meetings only when financial matters directly affecting their businesses were to be discussed. There was a distressing amount of ,apathy towards other vital matters which concerned the whole industry, even when they indirectly affected the pocket of every operator. Only if those who represented the industry nationally had the solid, active support of the rank and file could they obtain for it the treatment which it should have.
Urging that they should take the chance of unity offered by the Joint Conference plan for the unification of operators' associations, Councillor Hoklsworth suggested that, after the war the industry would have to make a great fight to shake off that bureaucratic .con,trol by civil servantswhich had been imposed for the purpose of winning the war.
Major Long said that because of the stand which had been made to obtain for the industry an improvement in the terms of the Government's Scheme, it had been suggested to hint that haulage operators were " a lot of Shylocks who have been out for the last penny."
" I denied it, and I -deny it here to-day," Major Long proceeded, amid a chorus of " hear, hears." No industry in the. World, he added, could carry on unless it had a sound financial basis. The aim of the Government to maintain the industry in a .virile and efficient condition whilst, at the same time, econonfizing in rubber and fuel, would be impossible of achievement without sound finance. All that the industry had asked was for the fair financial deal necessary • to achieve it.
Referring to the Joint Conference plan for unification of operators' associations, Major Long spoke scathingly of opposition moves which, he declared, threatened to "disunite the industry at the very moment when we are going into the attack to make it strong." Unity, he urged, was the safeguard against any move for nationalization of the industry. • In another column is a report of that part of the meeting during which Mr. J. F. E. Pye, chairman of the Finance Panel of the S. J.C., spoke on the Government's hiring rates for longdistance haulage.