WAR PROBLEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17390, 30 January 1917, Page 4

WAR PROBLEMS.

Public indignation against inequalities of sacrifice revealed on every hand as tho war goes on is steadily consolidate ing, and the Christchurch City Council is to take the leading pant in a deputation ou the subject to the Acting

Prime Minister. We are certain that action on some such lines is long overdue. The series of resolutions adopted by a committee of the council and a uurnber of citizens express the broad aspects of tho situation. They call for Government action in the direction of taking war profits, amending the schemo of taxation, and organising the community for the purpose of winning tho war. Wo may safely anticipate hostile criticism of this movement. Those who desire to buttress the rich and protect the profit-monger will urge that the real change required is a raid •upon wages; indeed, they are already crying out that wealth is too heavily conscribed, in relation to tho contribution asked of tho community as a whole.

Some of them affect to find support for this fallacy in figures quoted by Mr Allen to show how certain taxpayers have been compelled to largely increase their payments" to tho Stato whereas tho Acting Prime Minister's statement merely proves what a mass of taxable wealth there is available to a courageous Government and what a huge amount of \vr/ profit remains in the pockets of t-l/j recipients. The movement which tho City CouncU is going to help bring to fruition began last month. It arose out of the greed of the wheat-growers, or such of them whose views were correctly represented in the demand for Gs 3d a bushel. That was the proverbial last straw. It aroused the indignation of intelligent, patriotic, honest men and women throughout New Zealand aud assisted to crystallise and make articulate the popular disapproval of other gross scandals. AYo arc not mincing our words because the occasion is one for

plain speaking. We say that the additional money that has come to NewZealand o* to its principal owners, out of the distress and necessity of the Empire constitutes a grave scandal, which could nob be removed, though it would unquestionably ho diminished, if the Government took every penny of that profit. We say with Lord Rhondda that no mail ought to bo allowed to make money out of the war; in fact, we arc prepared to affirm that any man who is not poorer because of the war is deserving of punishment. In New Zealand tho experience of the last two years will in most important essentials make a sorry chapter in our history, for a section of the community has beon deluged with war gains while tho mass of tho people, besides finding, necessarily, nearly all the soldiers, has had its income seriously reduced by the same war gains. The time has como for the public to demand a drastic change, and we shall not bo s/jrprised to find that the Government is ready to be convinced. Within a day or so I the official decision on tho wheat ques-

tion will be announced, and we take the risk of predicting that it will not bo an offer to purchase all the gram that may ho produced at <ss 3d a bushel. The Government may be slow to recognise the trend of public opinion but it is duller than wo think if it does not realise that popular sentiment is moderately well expressed in the resolutions adopted by the City Council last, evening.

On the question of organising ule resources of the Dominion so that the Germans may be crushed as speedily as possible, opinion is also accumulating. Tho problem of man power becomes more and more critical every day, and tho first obvious, plain duty of the authorities is to formulate a bold policy. When we h.avo unnecessary individuals asking for exemption on the ground of "public interest," ,i\ew picture houses springing up like mushrooms all over tho country, imports of luxuries growing in proportions that stagger comparison with peace consumption, totalisator " investments" of unparalleled volume, bank, deposits of unexampled amountwhen wo seo theso conditions existing

and intensifying every day, the conclusion is irresistible that the country's assistance to the Empire is grossly below its ability. The need of a policywas emphasised again in respect of the railway service, in the course of proceedings before a Military Service Board in Wellington yesterday. The Railway Department may have lost men very substantially during the war, but so have other services, public and private, and until the Department moves, seriously and sensibly, in the direction of reducing luxury trains the Appeal Boards must resist requests for exemption. It is simply " not good enough," from the standpoint of the peoplo, that they shall be asked to make good deficiencies in the Army caused by exempting men. V run excursion trains,

carrying, by the way ( theatrical companies, racegoers, and even racehorßes at cheap rates. The situation is too serious for such trifling. It is high time that all the people, including the members of the Ministry, recognised the realities of the war.