20 AUGUST 1921, Page 3

Although we sympathize with those critics who said that it

is better to reach one's home standing up and dry than seated and wet, we see that there is something to be said on the other side. If the omnibus companies were allowed to collect their pennies from standing passengers just as they did during the war (when there was an unavoidable shortage of vehicles owing to the gallant performance of the motor-'bus at the Front), strap- hanging might go on indefinitely. The companies would have no pressing inducement to produce new vehicles. Everything depends upon whether the companies can really " deliver the goods " in the next four weeks.