Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

CONCENTRATING ON ESSENTIALS

CONCENTRATING ON ESSENTIALS May, 1942 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERIN G 119 must not be allowed to develop merely into excuses for the airing of Aircraft Engineering grievances. The fact that the men's representatives will largely consist of members of shops' stewards committees, as from the method of election it is fairly clear will be the case, is not encourag­ Devote d to th e Science an d Practice of Aero­ ing, as these men will find it difficult to divest themselves of an nautic s and to Allied and Subsidiary attitude of mind which has been a necessary part of their past utility. Considerable tact will have to be exercised on both sides Branche s of th e Engineerin g Industry if this initial prejudice-is to be overcome, and it is to be hoped that on their side managements will nominate men of standing capable Editor:Lieut.-Col. W. Lockwood Marsh, O.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., M.S.A.E.,F.I.Ae.S. of a broadminded approach. Otherwise there is a danger that the meetings will degenerate into political wrangles of an undesirable Vol. XIV, No. 159 May 1942 type, which will do far more harm than good. Much could, of course, be done b y th e leaders of labour, from MR. BEVIN downwards, CONCENTRATING ON ESSENTIALS but unfortunately hitherto none of these has shown any signs of a desire to inculcate the right spirit among their followers. It is H E impenetrable cloak of selfishness and self-centredness in sad that the war has not thrown up a really "big " labour leader which many people still contrive to immure themselves even with broad vision and foresight. The Ministry of Labour has at this stage of the war is truly heart-breaking. It does not unfortunately broken down badly in this respect, and has alienated seem to be confined to any particular stratum but riddles the whole all employers by supposing its duty to consist mainly in the issue structure of society. It is to be found, for instance, in the unedify- of a ceaseless stream of nagging exhortations and instructions. ing discussions that are in progress as t o whether or not, and how far This is bitterly resented, and legitimately so, by the best type of if at all, the leaders of one political party should give support to employer who is genuinely anxious to do his best for the war effort, the candidates of another party at the meetings in by-elections but does not relish it being used as a cloak for furthering political for seats in the House of Commons ostensibly to be held in support ends in the post-war period. of the National Government. We indicated last month instances Labour leaders could, if they wished, do much to inculcate a that daily come to notice in our own little sphere. It rears its head better spirit. The average worker is full out to win the war, but is no less in Government departments and in industry among those subject to muddled thinking and still fails to realize the reper­ who devote a major part of their activities to scheming the enlarge­ cussions of his own actions, positive or negative, on the work of ment and aggrandisement of their departments to the end that others and does not see why he should not call attention to his own their own positions may be raised somewhat higher in the social little grievances by the same methods as he did in peace. He, scale. It is equally apparent in the shop steward who writes to his perhaps naturally, is suspicious of the efforts of his employers to favourite columnist to complain that his shop is temporarily short explain the position to him, but would " take it " from his own of work ; without troubling to ascertain that this is due to a hold-up leaders. in the production of some other component required for the complete The trouble is tha t to so many people co-operation is used merely assembly, in view of which it is a useless waste of time and material for his mates to go on churning out quantities of unwanted parts. as a means to push their own petty ends. They seek domination rather than reciprocity. Mistaken Thought All this sniping is due in a sense to a lack of thought, or desire to think; though it is much more to be attributed to too much think­ AN ANNUAL AMERICAN EVENT ing—but on wrong lines. It would be more helpful if those con­ We hope we shall prove to be unduly pessimistic in feeling we are cerned would tr y to wrench their noses out of the individual grooves present at a funeral feast in printing the survey of the proceedings into which they have become wedged and apply them to the grind­ at the tenth annual meeting of the Institute of Aeronautical stone of common effort. The man who spends all his time looking Sciences. If the war still continues we hardly feel that it will be for faults in his neighbour will not get much done himself. This is possible for this event to be held next year. The amber light is of course a truism familiar to all who are accustomed to handling already to be seen in the number of papers which were either with­ men, and is the reason for the unpopularity of the "sea-lawyer" drawn or prohibited from publication. Apart from this question type. In peace time he is merely a nuisance, but in war he is a of censorship, it does not seem likely that those who normally would menace. We are all in these days working at high pressure and be reading papers or discussing them will be able to spare the time tend to get nervy and easily irritated, but the exercise of self-control for travel to a central point and for spending several days away from is not only a duty to others but the best possible sedative for nerves. their normal routine. It is greatly to be regretted that this should be so, but we fear that it is inevitable ; just as the Royal Aero­ Concentration on the Move nautical Society has had to suspend most of its similar activities, in common with the majority of other institutions in England. It is far too common a belief in the individual, arising out of the This year's proceedings produced a very large number of papers narrowness of outlook of which we complain, that he alone is suffer­ covering an enormously wide field, and it is impossible to read ing from all the petty restrictions and annoyances, and effects of PROFESSOR KLEMIN'S review without a feeling of slight mental in­ overwork, to which all are in these days of necessity subjected. digestion, while the papers necessarily vary considerably in import­ This obsession engenders an unworthy desire to hit out all round and ance and interest. Several of them appear to us to be outstanding, criticize the activities of everyone else—which, in its worst form, and we contemplate, if we can find space, publishing them in full in manifests itself in the workman who deliberately spoils his work AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING. We should, meanwhile, be happy to con­ in the effort to "ge t even" with someone undefined who he feels is sider suggestions from readers of papers that they themselves would responsible for his own troubles. like us t o treat in this way, as opinions may differ as to the present- day topicality of various subjects. Meanwhile, as we have men­ Hope in Production Committees tioned in a footnote at the end of the article, we are prepared to lend to any one interested the advance copy we have of any There is some reason to hope tha t the new Production Committees, particular paper. which are now obligatory in all establishments employing more than 150 persons, but are in fact being set up in many much smaller The fact that goods made of raw materials in short supply owing to war conditions are factories, may have a beneficial effect in curing this mental attitude. advertised in AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING should not be taken as an indication that they are necessarily available for export. It seems clear, however, that they will need careful watching and http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology Emerald Publishing

CONCENTRATING ON ESSENTIALS

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology , Volume 14 (5): 1 – May 1, 1942
Download PDF
1 page

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/concentrating-on-essentials-LDVFC09Je0

References

References for this paper are not available at this time. We will be adding them shortly, thank you for your patience.

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0002-2667
DOI
10.1108/eb030899
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

May, 1942 AIRCRAFT ENGINEERIN G 119 must not be allowed to develop merely into excuses for the airing of Aircraft Engineering grievances. The fact that the men's representatives will largely consist of members of shops' stewards committees, as from the method of election it is fairly clear will be the case, is not encourag­ Devote d to th e Science an d Practice of Aero­ ing, as these men will find it difficult to divest themselves of an nautic s and to Allied and Subsidiary attitude of mind which has been a necessary part of their past utility. Considerable tact will have to be exercised on both sides Branche s of th e Engineerin g Industry if this initial prejudice-is to be overcome, and it is to be hoped that on their side managements will nominate men of standing capable Editor:Lieut.-Col. W. Lockwood Marsh, O.B.E., F.R.Ae.S., M.S.A.E.,F.I.Ae.S. of a broadminded approach. Otherwise there is a danger that the meetings will degenerate into political wrangles of an undesirable Vol. XIV, No. 159 May 1942 type, which will do far more harm than good. Much could, of course, be done b y th e leaders of labour, from MR. BEVIN downwards, CONCENTRATING ON ESSENTIALS but unfortunately hitherto none of these has shown any signs of a desire to inculcate the right spirit among their followers. It is H E impenetrable cloak of selfishness and self-centredness in sad that the war has not thrown up a really "big " labour leader which many people still contrive to immure themselves even with broad vision and foresight. The Ministry of Labour has at this stage of the war is truly heart-breaking. It does not unfortunately broken down badly in this respect, and has alienated seem to be confined to any particular stratum but riddles the whole all employers by supposing its duty to consist mainly in the issue structure of society. It is to be found, for instance, in the unedify- of a ceaseless stream of nagging exhortations and instructions. ing discussions that are in progress as t o whether or not, and how far This is bitterly resented, and legitimately so, by the best type of if at all, the leaders of one political party should give support to employer who is genuinely anxious to do his best for the war effort, the candidates of another party at the meetings in by-elections but does not relish it being used as a cloak for furthering political for seats in the House of Commons ostensibly to be held in support ends in the post-war period. of the National Government. We indicated last month instances Labour leaders could, if they wished, do much to inculcate a that daily come to notice in our own little sphere. It rears its head better spirit. The average worker is full out to win the war, but is no less in Government departments and in industry among those subject to muddled thinking and still fails to realize the reper­ who devote a major part of their activities to scheming the enlarge­ cussions of his own actions, positive or negative, on the work of ment and aggrandisement of their departments to the end that others and does not see why he should not call attention to his own their own positions may be raised somewhat higher in the social little grievances by the same methods as he did in peace. He, scale. It is equally apparent in the shop steward who writes to his perhaps naturally, is suspicious of the efforts of his employers to favourite columnist to complain that his shop is temporarily short explain the position to him, but would " take it " from his own of work ; without troubling to ascertain that this is due to a hold-up leaders. in the production of some other component required for the complete The trouble is tha t to so many people co-operation is used merely assembly, in view of which it is a useless waste of time and material for his mates to go on churning out quantities of unwanted parts. as a means to push their own petty ends. They seek domination rather than reciprocity. Mistaken Thought All this sniping is due in a sense to a lack of thought, or desire to think; though it is much more to be attributed to too much think­ AN ANNUAL AMERICAN EVENT ing—but on wrong lines. It would be more helpful if those con­ We hope we shall prove to be unduly pessimistic in feeling we are cerned would tr y to wrench their noses out of the individual grooves present at a funeral feast in printing the survey of the proceedings into which they have become wedged and apply them to the grind­ at the tenth annual meeting of the Institute of Aeronautical stone of common effort. The man who spends all his time looking Sciences. If the war still continues we hardly feel that it will be for faults in his neighbour will not get much done himself. This is possible for this event to be held next year. The amber light is of course a truism familiar to all who are accustomed to handling already to be seen in the number of papers which were either with­ men, and is the reason for the unpopularity of the "sea-lawyer" drawn or prohibited from publication. Apart from this question type. In peace time he is merely a nuisance, but in war he is a of censorship, it does not seem likely that those who normally would menace. We are all in these days working at high pressure and be reading papers or discussing them will be able to spare the time tend to get nervy and easily irritated, but the exercise of self-control for travel to a central point and for spending several days away from is not only a duty to others but the best possible sedative for nerves. their normal routine. It is greatly to be regretted that this should be so, but we fear that it is inevitable ; just as the Royal Aero­ Concentration on the Move nautical Society has had to suspend most of its similar activities, in common with the majority of other institutions in England. It is far too common a belief in the individual, arising out of the This year's proceedings produced a very large number of papers narrowness of outlook of which we complain, that he alone is suffer­ covering an enormously wide field, and it is impossible to read ing from all the petty restrictions and annoyances, and effects of PROFESSOR KLEMIN'S review without a feeling of slight mental in­ overwork, to which all are in these days of necessity subjected. digestion, while the papers necessarily vary considerably in import­ This obsession engenders an unworthy desire to hit out all round and ance and interest. Several of them appear to us to be outstanding, criticize the activities of everyone else—which, in its worst form, and we contemplate, if we can find space, publishing them in full in manifests itself in the workman who deliberately spoils his work AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING. We should, meanwhile, be happy to con­ in the effort to "ge t even" with someone undefined who he feels is sider suggestions from readers of papers that they themselves would responsible for his own troubles. like us t o treat in this way, as opinions may differ as to the present- day topicality of various subjects. Meanwhile, as we have men­ Hope in Production Committees tioned in a footnote at the end of the article, we are prepared to lend to any one interested the advance copy we have of any There is some reason to hope tha t the new Production Committees, particular paper. which are now obligatory in all establishments employing more than 150 persons, but are in fact being set up in many much smaller The fact that goods made of raw materials in short supply owing to war conditions are factories, may have a beneficial effect in curing this mental attitude. advertised in AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING should not be taken as an indication that they are necessarily available for export. It seems clear, however, that they will need careful watching and

Journal

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology – Emerald Publishing

Published: May 1, 1942

There are no references for this article.