BRITISH PEOPLE GLUM

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24799, 13 February 1946, Page 4

BRITISH PEOPLE GLUM

Shortages of Food And Goal

GROWING CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT (Special Correspondent N.Z.PA.) (Rec. 7.20 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 12. Not since the dark days of the war has the general atmosphere in Britain been quite so glum. The immediate cause is the news about the food situation, which, although there had been several warnings, came as a shock tothe community as a whole. Then came a grave warning on the position of the coal industry by the Minister of Fuel (Mr Emanuel Shinwell).

In industry generally the situation in some respects is reminiscent of the days immediately after Dunkirk. There is as urgent a need for the total mobilisation of labour and productive resources as -there was in the summer of 1940. The ability of the Labour Government is being thoroughly tested. Now that the public has had time to learn the’ reasons # for the return to war-time rationing’and the truth of the world food position, the first wave of dismay and indignation is subsiding. But British housewives generally, and for the first time, are thoroughly angry. Until further information is given in the House of Commons debate later this week on food and agriculture, the impression exists that the Government'has bungled. World Food Shortage '

Labour’s argument is that the Government cannot be blamed for a world shortage, but the Opposition maintains *that, with all the information at the Government’s disposal, farmers should have been warned weeks ago, that the people should have been kept more fully informed, and that purchases from America should have been of food rather than of films, tobacco, and petrol. Mr Shinwell’s revelation of the coal position was .almost as great a shock to the public as the news about food, for recent news of coal production had been vaguely optimistic. It was never suspected that, unless coal output increases by 250.000 tons a xyeek, the situation may be “very dangerous” within the next two months. The reasons given for the fall in coal production are said to be absenteeism, slack working and lack of discipline among the miners, the effect of the pay-as-you-earn taxation system (which is said to decrease incentive), increased sickness, and the fact that miners are not getting extra *rations. Importance of Coal

It has been said that the nearer Britain approaches nationalisation of its coal mines the faster does the output fall and the more extravagant are the demands of the Miners’ Union. The position is one of deep concern as Mr Shinwell emphasises that a new Britain must be built on coal or it can never be built at all. On the miners more than on any other single section of the working population does the Labour Government’s success or failure depend, not only in nationalising the mines but its whole industrial policy. A prolonged dearth of labour is foreseen. A special conference of trade union executives is to meet Cabinet Ministers »next month to discuss Brilabour and industrial prospects. Britain’s financial position is being complicated by indefiniteness about the American loan.

The result of all these problems is a growing tendency to criticise the Government for paying overmuch attention to “injecting Socialist doctrines” at a time when the country is in such a difficult position.