LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
REGIONAL P.i0DUCTION CONTROL
Sta,—There is deep insight in Mr. Hammersley's article on " Some ProduCtion Deadlocks," particularly since most of what he suggests
is contained in the Star Plan blue print which Mr. Ellis Smith,
the Trades Union M.P., when making his maiden speech from the Opposition front bench, spread in front of the Speaker a week or two ago. Mr. Hammersley asks that the regional chairmen be so chosen as to command the respect and confidence of the local manu- facturers. Here are the unanimously agreed proposals of the Rochester joint Advisory Committee on December 4th, 1941 (This is probably the only remaining active committee set up undet the original Area Boards.) (I) All trade, un:onists in the district should get together and select an agreed number, say a dozen or so, to join a `ull committee with (a) An equal number of the management representatives in the district.
(3) From this full committee, which should meet from time to time, there shoula then be selected a district production-committee of three worker representatives and three management representatives.
(4) These district committees covering the whole region should then get together and elect the three worker and three management representatives of the regional board.
(5) The worker-management representatives on the regional board should then select, additionally if need be, their own chairman, who would be chairman of the regional board, and since this chair- manship would be a very full-time job of vital national importance, the selection should be agreed with the War Cabinet
(6) Then, the full-time cnairman of the regional board should, with all the three-and-three district committees, agree who the district committee chairman should be, for he would have to work with them and make strong demands on their services. Thus we should have district committees of three worker and three management representatives and a chairman. It is also suggested that committees and chairmen, both in the districts and regionally should come up for re-election annually.
(7) The chairman of the regional ooard would then be held per- sonally responsible for the total productive efficiency of the region, and in the same way the zhairman of the district committee would be personally ,esponsible for the total productive efficiency of his district. By the above scheme these men would be supported by worker-management committees of the highest possible prestige and could not fail to bring about at once an infinite improvement of our total war output.
It is doubtful, whether much heed will be given to these proposals, which have been forwarded to the proper quarters, but they deserve close attention for they are born from over eighteen months of close co-operation in a fine representative body of trades
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