Passing Comments
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American Ford Co. THE British Limbless ExProvide-. Work for 1 Service Men's Association
Disabled has sent us information con
cerning the way in which the Ford Motor Co., of America, is helping those incapacitated by physical disabilities. About 20 years ago Henry Ford instructed his plant managers that they were to survey their communities and determine how many people, in proportion to population, suffered in this manner. Soon after an instruction was sent out that Ford plants in each community were to represent a cross-section of it. Thus if one out of every 6,000 were blind, one out of every 6,000 Ford workers was to be a blind Man. Similar action was taken in connection with, the deaf and dumb. etc. Now, some 10 per cent. of those employed in the River Rouge -plant are persons in these categories. Nearly 700 are blind or partially so, although only two lost their sight through accidents in the plant. In addition, 66 are deaf and dumb, 42 partially incapacitated by infantile paralysis, and 112 suffer from epilepsy ; others have lost limbs or are crippled, are partially paralysed or have heart ailments. Altogether nearly 12,000 .disabled men are receiving full pay; Their employment, however, is not regarded as a favour, for each worker is expected to give full value, and he does so because his job is fitted to his capacity. Some, blind men, for example, are employed in fitting parts together and passing thenn along a. line into boxes—in fact, they can deal with anything Al'!
where touch and practice are the major factors to be considered. At the plant there is a special entrance for these people, and a street crossing protected by traffic Officers, whilst fellow workers assist in their transport. All this is interesting in view of the fact that our Government is now preparing legislation for the introduction of a scheme for the employment of the disabled after the war.
Uncontrolled Carriers j AST June the U.S. Office of Give U .S. Army 1—War Information gave strikEfficient Service . ing statistics concerning the
moving and equipping of the American Forces. The gigantic task is to supfkly troops to more than 50 fighting fronts all over the world. In 1917-18 railways stood almost alone in the domestic war, transport job. To-day, despite rubber . shortage,' road-transport operators are doing remarkable work. The Any is now giving bus services to some 500,000 people a month, whilst commercial vehicles, in the same time, are moving about 400,000 tons of Army freight, and the fact that no need has yet developed for tightening control over domestic traffic is a source of pride to the Transportation Corps. Incidentally, it is pointed out that in North Africa the average time required for a five-mini crew to unpack the parts of a 2i-ton lorry and roll it, the assembly line ready for action was approximately five hours.
A MESSAGE of congratula1-1 tion to road and rail workers in connection with transport during the August Bank Holiday has been issued by Lord Leathers, Minister of War Transport. He said that through this period, as well as over the previous week-end, the strength and ingenuity of all those engaged in the operation of buses and trains Were taxed to the utmost, and it is to their credit that the situation was kept well under control. He thanked transport staffs generally—not least the women—for the skilful and efficient way in which they had tackled a difficult situation. Despite the congestion., the flow, of traffic essential. to our Fighting Forces was successfully maintained. He also expressed appreciation of all those members of the public who wisely refrained from travelling—they chose the better part.
Minister Sends Thanks to Road and Rail Workers
Road Beats Rail ACCORDING to ' Transport Haulage up to 360Topics," of Washington, an
mile Journeys . examiner for the Interstate Commerce Commission has submitted a report recommending certain rate reductions or the railway express carriage of traffic in order to meet haulage competition by road. The main point of interest, however, is that the railways, by collection and delivery and the use of passenger trains and express service, is able to meet road competition up to 360 miles, so far as speed is concerned, but, at the present, only at about double the first-class lorry or rail rates and more than double the secondand thirdclass rates. For distances over 360 iviles express service by rail is considered superior to that byroad. This seems to us to be a frank admission that road haulage at least equals in speed express rail carriage up to 360 miles, whilst being much cheaper.