THE SUBMARINE MENACE

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 101, 28 April 1917, Page 5

THE SUBMARINE MENACE

FACTS KEPT BACK FOR NATIONAL

' REASONS

"WE MUST EAT LESS FOOD!"

COMPULSORY" RATIONING INEVITABLE

(BX TEKEQBAPH. —UNITED PRESS ASSOOIATION. —COPTBIGKTi)

(AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOOIATION.).

(Keceived April 28, 8.30 a.m.)

LONDON, 27th April. The loss of fifty-five ships in a week has 1 caused a sensation among the public and in Parliament, and has "entirely changed the attitude of many members of Parliament towards the Cora Production Bill. The newspapers demand that the Admiralty shall publish the facts more

fully. ■■ . * - Doubt is' expressed whether we are dealing with the submarine menace ■with sufficient energy and enterprise, and also whether the building of merchantmen is proceeding with the utmost activity. All ship-yards and engineshops, the papers state, must ; be fully manned, and must work day and night without intermission. The Admiralty should continually review all the arrangements for fighting submarines, and fresh minds should be brought to bear on the problem. It is essentially a young man's job. There is a general impression that compulsory rationing is inevitable, and that the six or eight weeks of grace which Lord Devonport "has promised is merely the time necessary to establish the intricate administration. The Daily News states : "We know the facts. These are being kept from ■the general public for national reasons. The fac\s are of the gravest moment to the safety of the Empire, and warrant the statement that we are at the supreme crisis of the war. We must eat less food." The whole of the press discusses in the gravest tone the food menace, ■which, it is insisted, must resolutely be grappled.. Several papers criticise the Admiralty, and consider that it should tackle the evil at the source, bottle up the submarines' exit holes, and present their ingress. The Government is approaching county councils and borough and rural district councils to enable food tickets to be introduced within the next few weeks. It is expected that horse racing will practically be suspended. Lloyd's Weekly Index (of shipping) has been suspended. "OUR LOSSES ARE TERRJFYING'' (published in the times.) , LONDON, 26th April. In the House of Lords, debating on the submarine question, Lord Charles Beresford declared, that the losses, were terrifying. The public should be told jnore about the gravity of the position. ' STANDARDISED SHIPS READY IN JULY (A-CBTBALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, 27th April. Lord Lytton, speaking for the Admiralty in the House of Lords, stated Jhat some of the standardised merchant ships, would be ready by July. FRENCH LOSSES (AUSTBALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE. ASSOCIATION AND BEOTEE.) - PARIS, 27th April. Official.—The shipping arrivals for" the week ending 22nd April weres 893, and the sailings 923. One vessel of over 1600 tons, and two fishing boats ,were sunk. There were, five unsuccessful attacks. SAFE CONDUCT FOR NEUTRAL FOOD SHIPS (beuter's telebbam,) ' (Eeceived April 28, 10 a.m.) •-, AMSTERDAM, 27th April. Germany has offered safe conduct to neutral vessels sheltering in British JiarbouM with foodstuffs for their countries. .