LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
[Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs are often more read, and therefore more effective, than those which fill treble the space.] THE COAL INQUIRY.
[To TEE EDFTOE OF THE " SEEM:FM."3 do not suppose that anything which is said at this time of day can in any way affect the conclusions of Mr. Justice Sankey and his colleagues; but there is one very important aspect of the question which has so far been very lightly touched upon in the evidence submitted—viz., the deadening and sterilizing effect of Government control. It was my good fortune to be connected for almost four years of the war period with two Government Departments engaged on war work which by general consent were considered to be fairly efficient. It is not necessary to designate these Departments. but I should state that I was a voluntary worker—i.e., volun- tary in the sense that I received no remuneration. I had been accustomed to control large undertakings successfully I think. So far as mining is ooncerned, I was brought up in a mining community, and I know the oonditions under which miners live here and in other countries. I have been down many coal-mines, and though not a mining engineer I claim to under- stand mining; indeed. I have been President of one of the most important Mining Societies in the world. I mention these facts to establish my bona fides. I should perhaps also state that I have no particular views on the question of nationaliza- tion; but I cannot forget that I am both a consumer and a taxpayer, and it is from this point of view that I desire to approach this subject.
I have said that the Departments with which I was con- nected were efficient, but this was only in the relative sense. That is, they were efficient when compared with others, many of which I knew well, but when compared with private firms they showed up very badly indeed. I could write volumes on this subject, but I shall content myself with the broad state- ment that Government factories which I knew were in many respects woefully inefficient and the staff was always very much too large. On the other hand, those Government factories which were managed by a Board of business or technical men without undue interference did good work. I have many such in my mind. This opinion is shared by scores of my friends and colleagues. When, however, one comes to administration (and, after all, Government during the war was more con- cerned with this than with actual manufacture—a fact which is not very generally realized) nothing more inefficient could well be imagined. I cannot assert, as many have done, that Departments were overstaffed and staffs slacked at their work. My experience was the exact reverse, but every one was so enmeshed with red-tape, so much occupied in doing absolutely unnecessary work, that little was accomplished though all worked hard. I cannot say that I learnt anything during these four years except the very useful lesson of how not to do things. Decisions which in ordinary business life would have been taken after an hour's discussion were generally hung up for months. Reams of valuable stationery were wasted on absolutely useless minutes written frequently to a man in thc same room as oneself. Departments, because water-tight, laid- themselves out to fight other Departments to the last ditch. Precisely the same thing is going on to-day, and will go on till the end of time. It is just as inseparable from all Govern- ment control as is wangling. The word is new, but if one is a good wangler in a Government Department one can achieve anything and get anywhere; regulations and even laws could be ignored with perfect safety if one knew how to wangle, and one had in self-defence to acquire the art.
In industrial life if a man does not give satisfaction he has to leave. Even if he is a good man, but is difficult to get on mith, he has to go. This, however, is not the Government way. Such a man is generally promoted. I knew many such cases. I also knew of cases where the men, after having been proved to be absolutely incompetent, were allowed to remain on thougl. they were no use whatsoever.
I have thought it best to speak from my own experiences, but, comparing notes with my friends—not Civil Servants— their testimony is all in the same direction. I know therefore that if the Government touches the coal industry, or any other for that matter, I as a shareholder will lose money, and that I shall have to be mukted,in addition, either as a taxpayer or a consumer, or as both, for Government inefficiency. I could ex- plain, of course, how this comes about, but it is unnecessary, because the blighting effect of Government control is really inevitable if one pauses to reflect. Why, indeed, should any Government servant worry when the good old taxpayer is always available to make good deficits, and why, on the other hand, should Government encourage a particularly bright young man when initiative is deprecated as bad form and all are expected ipso facto to do their best?
When I look back on these four years I wonder how we won or deserved to win the war. The appalling inefficiency of every Department, the wangling, the political and other " pull " which was always being exercised and which I understand is quite normal, was enough to make one weep, and I confess to having had that feeling very frequently. And why in the end did we win? We won the war in spite of Government control and its rotten administration, simply because our British manufacturers and British workmen are what they are. That story has still to be told. It was their initiative
and their keenness, and not the Ministry of Munitions or any ether Department, which won the war, and which could do more than anything to win the peace. And this 'priceless asset, unless a strong fight is now made, seems doomed, so far as coal and transport are concerned. Nationalization is a fine- rounding term, but so far as I am concerned 1 know that it is going to make me a poorer man. That I should not mind if the State or the men, with whom I have every sympathy, were going to benefit, but neither can. The only people who can possibly benefit are those swarms of bureaucrats who in- variably fatten on Government control.—I am, sir, &es
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