BRITAIN'S OUTLOOK

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 197, 20 August 1919, Page 6

BRITAIN'S OUTLOOK

Judging by the brief summary that ha-s rtttchtxl us, Mr. Lloyd George said nothing new in his review of the industrial situation in the House of Commons, and, save for his announcement of the (lovcrnineut's decision about the nationalisation of coal mines, brought forward no new remedies. But, after all, what could lie say that would be new? The main facts of the situation are clear to every intelligent person, and there is no road to improvement save through a general grasp of their seriousness and along the straight but difficult path of work and economy. Mr. Lloyd George was quite right in rebuking the people who expected industry and production to become normal as soon as the war was

over. As ho says, such people fail to realise the magnitude of the disturbance through which the world has passed. A man ran not work at anything like his best after a long and severe illness, and Britain lias pa.-wd through a high fever lasting four and a-lialf yea.s. The period of oolivnJesci nee must bo lengtliy- It is not only a question of changing over the machinery of industry from the needs of war to those of peace, or of replacing the material losses of the war, or of deflating the huge bal-

loon of war currency, though each of those is an important factor in restoring tlii- nation's health. Physic-ally and mentally the nation is still showing the effects of its long period of intense strain. People are tired, irritable, "nervy," and disinclined to work. Naturally they have t.rpated the early days of peace as a timo when they could safely lake things moro easily. The war had been won; now they could rest. Many seized the opportunity to demand improvements in their lot for which they were unwilling or unable to press in war time. Only a minority was able to see clearly and from the beginning the close connection between the work of the individual and the welfare of the nation, and the grave perils of a situation in which on one side were the losses and debts of the war, and on the other a slackening of effort, and a demand for higher wages and better conditions. Just as a patient who is well past the crisis of a fever improves slowly, so will the nation gradually return towards normal conditions. There is no drug that will enable the patient to jump quickly into complete health. The strength of the patient and a commonsense mode of living are the basis of the

The greatest need of Britain is more production. '"Work, work, work" is the burden of the advice to the British nation given I>y Ministers, eeon-omists, and Labour leaders. It is not palatable advice to emne 'people; simple advice never in. They are like those wlio are dissatisfied if a doctor icon'lines his treatment to advice about habits, and demand a prescription. The Biblical warning about working as t'lio iweeesary .preliminary to eating is strictly applicable to Britain to-day. That prices of food are lug<h<?r than ever to-day is not entirely due to profiteering, as some might have gathered from a cable message .published yesterday. Another cause is the adverse foreign exchange caused by the decline in exports. If the 'huge adverse balance of ;trade pereiste, widespread unemployment and consequent dktrass and starvation will follow. So the first tiling required ie more work. The second thing i≤ economy in. every

direction, private and public. Mr. Lloyd ■George may have emphasised this in his speech, but die does not do so in tlhe cabled eummary The trouble is that in waste and extravagance the Government is one of the worst offenders. Daring the war its expenditure was reckless to an extent far Wrond the plea of military necessity. Scandal after ecandal lias come to jigftt. Money was wasted or over-spent in millions through administrative carelessness, error, or lack of

judgment. Departmental was often very slack, and the Treasury long ago lost its grip on departmental expenditure. It would not .be 6O bad if this orgy of waste and extravagance had ceaeed with the coming of the armistice, •but it 3ias continued to this day. For example, wh-en :the armistice was signed tlie Air Council was im-lined to stop work, but the Ministry of Munitions decreed that labour was not to be dispersed before Christmas, with the result that the Committee of National Expenditure found that 'machines taken irewn contractors to keep the people *here employed were sent to the national factonicrf to bo. destroyed to keep the people there employed." In view of such foots, and ithis as only one of many, can one reasonably expect the King'a appeal for economy and thrift to nxuke a deep and lasting impression on the nation? Until the Uovernmeut puts itri own <houee in order, it is hypocrisy for it to .preach sermons about economy. Allied to this necessity for practising ruthleee economy throughout the public service is the problem of the ei-rreney. The enormous inflation of the currency, which is larg-elv responerbJe for high prices, and consequent ainrest, mitot be reduced. It wHI be a difficult task, Tequiring a man not only of unusual financial knowledge .but of rare moral courage, but it must be undertaken ii England is to regain her health.