THE ONLY SAFE POLICY

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 48, 24 February 1917, Page 6

THE ONLY SAFE POLICY

CARRY ON IN SPITE OF

SUBMARINES

UTILISATION OF BRITISH

SUPPLIES

THE PREMIER ON TONNAGE-

SAVING.

(ONITZD PRESS ASSOCIATION I.—COPIRIBHI.)

(OUTER'S IBIBGRA3I.)

(Received February 24, 1 p.m.)

LONDON, 23rd February.

Mr. Lloyd George, in the House of Commons, referring to the submarine blockade, spoke with great emphasis, and Baid: " While the Government is hopeful that we will be able to deal with the menace, we should be guilty of criminal folly if we rested our policy on a tranquil anticipation of our ability to realise that hope. I want the House and the country to realise that we must be able to carry on the war to a victorious end, however long it laste, even though we fail to hunt the submarines from the deep. We cannot build our plans on any other policy." He proceeded to show that whatever measures were adopted, complete immunity from piratical attacks was im- [ possible. Ho instanced the ware of Louis XIV. At Trafalgar we commanded the sea; but 100 of our ships were sunk an- j nually. Hence the necessity for concentrating on the tonnage question, which was the really vital problem. The shipyards must be utilised to the utmost for anti-submarine craft as well as merchantnwu. With regard to imports, the Premier said the problem of timber, of which 6,100,000 tons were imported last year, must be dealt with in order to save tonnage. An. investigation into the best method of economising timber would be held. The French Government had given two forests for the use of our Army in France, and he was afraid he must ask for more. The supply of home timber must also be increased. He thought they could fell enough trees for all purposes.

We were importing millions of tons of iron ore, while there was plenty of lowgrade ore in Britain, and if we could augment the supply of labour wo could enormously increase the output; but the large saving of tonnage that would be mads would unfortunately not come until late in the year.

DRASTIC RESTRICTION OF IMPORTS

Mr. Lloyd George proceeded: " Our food stocks are at present lamentably low. This is not owing to the submarines but to the bad harvest. For the safety of the nation we must make every effort to increase the production in 1917." There were a few weeks in which to sow spring wheat, barley, and oats; and in order to induce farmers to plough up pasture land immediately, he proposed to guarantee the farmer a minimum price for a definite period, while a minimum wage would be fixed for agricultural labour. The raising of rent would be prohibited, and the Board of ; Agriculture would enforce cultivation. ;

The guaranteed minimum price of ■wheat per quarter would be 60s in 1917, 55s for tho next two years, and 45s for the next three years. Paper imports would 'be reduced to 640,000 tons, which was half the present allowance. All essential foodstuffs would be put on a free list, but apples, tomatoes, and certain raw fruits would be prohibited. Oranges, bananas, grapes, almonds, and nuts would bo reduced to 25 per cent, of the 1915 imports, and canned salmon would be reduced by 50 per cent. . Mineral water would bo prohibited, and cocoa and coffee temporarily stopped, as we had large stocks of.them. The importation'of foreign tea was prohibited, while even the importation of Indian tea would be reduced to a certain extent. This would save 900,000 tons of shipping.

He regretted exceedingly the stoppage of certain luxuries from France and Italy.

The output of beer would be reduced to 10,000,000 barrels, saving 600,000 tons of imports for its manufacture; and spirits would be correspondingly reduced. ■ The restrictions would-be imposed immediately. Steps would bo taken to prevent speculative buying; and if necessary tho Food Controller would control the commodities. If this programme was carried out, and those able to help in production did help, he had not the slightest doubt we could face the worst the enemy could do.