Ministry of Transport.

Part of Orders of the Day — Civil Estimates, 1939. – in the House of Commons at on 5 July 1939.

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Photo of Mr Herbert Morrison Mr Herbert Morrison , Hackney South

In the Potteries, it applies on a smaller scale. In South-east Lancashire, in particular, there is a problem almost identical to that of Greater London. Let the right hon. and gallant Gentleman be making preparations with regard to this, and also with regard to railway electrification. The Southern Railway has set a very fine example, and they have not had to be kicked into it by this Government or any other Government. They have done it as a matter of good business. It is rare that one finds in the railways business men with courage and initiative, and I want particularly to compliment the Capitalist Southern Railway on their pluck and enterprise in going in for electrification.

Why do not the other railways do the same thing? The London and North-Eastern are slowly coming on, pulled on by the Transport Board and a certain amount of State guarantee. The whole matter was investigated by the Weir Committee when I was at the Department, and a case was made for it. It was estimated that there would be a 7 per cent. return. The railway companies came to my doorstep and said, "You want us to do it—how much will you give us?" I asked them when they were going to get into a decent business enterprise frame of mind, instead of a public assistance frame of mind. "If you cannot run the railways efficiently, tell me," I said, "and I shall know what to do with them; but if you can do it, if there is a 7 per cent. return, you ought to go ahead and electrify the railways." But they would not do it. They had got into the mood that the capitalist in trouble has to be subsidised out of public funds. People talk about persons not genuinely seeking work—I would like to apply a proper test to capitalists who do not genuinely seek enterprise. I got tired of those railway directors who came to me, and I asked, "Can you or can you not run your undertaking? If you can, then do it; if you tell me that you cannot, I will draw a Socialist deduction from that answer before you are out of the door"

We cannot in this matter discuss the legislative stage, but there is here an administrative problem for the right hon. and gallant Gentleman to consider. I feel that he ought to run the Department in the spirit, not only of meeting the troubles of to-day and settling the problems that come to him in the minutes from the permanent officials of the Department and otherwise, but to look ahead in respect of all the industries and services for which he is responsible, and in particular to look ahead in connection with that evil day, which, unfortunately, almost inevitably will come, of depression and unemployment, and see to it that, whether he or somebody else is at the Department, the Department, which on the whole is a very enterprising and praiseworthy one, will be ready for speedy action, instead of being delayed because preparations have not been made.