THE FOOD SHORTAGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 15

THE FOOD SHORTAGE.

COMPULSORY RATIONING. Mr J. R. dynes, M.P., in a speech at» Manchester, said that the magistrates were too lenient with profiteers. The Food Ministry was introducing a Bill providing that offenders, in addition to fines and imprisonment, must repay double the amount they charged in excess of the fixed prices.. The Press. Bureau reports that a deputation from the Manchester engineers and munition workers - waited upon Lord Rhondda and asked for a definite assuuranco regarding the food shortage and of the steps he was taking in the direction of national rationing. Lord Rhondda said that there was no famine," nor was there any likelihood of such occurring; but there was a definite* shortage of meat, butter, bacon, and margarine. Local schemes would ultimately bo welded into a national scheme. Nearly 2000 food control committees were now working, and arrangements were being made to create a food clearing house, aiming at giving each district a fair share. iho Cabinet had authorised the introduct:on of a Bill dealing with profiteering, exacting from an offender double the amount of the profit in addition to the penalty imposed. The Press Bureau states that tho new order as ■ to public meals institutes two meatless days weekly and prohibits tho consumption of milk, excepting in. tea, coffee, and cocoa, for which persons must carry, their own sugar. ... It is reported that the authorities are encouraging the slaughter of horses for food. Lord Rhondda is shortly issuing an order empowering the local food committees to commandeer other foodstuffs in addition to margarine. _ Lord Rhondda. speaking at the Mansion House, announced that meat would also be rationed as from. February 25. Compulsory rationing was inevitable and urgent. The whole country would shortly be governed by rationing schemes, which would be developed into a national system. He proposed to fix a. fair share of meat, margarine, and tea- for each district, and would see that they were supplied according to their necessities. It was proposed to start with a level ration of meat for adults and half of that ration for children under 3Jx years of ago. There would beno ground for suspicion that well-to-do people were getting more than the workers. It is understood that in London, and also in the counties, the ration scheme will make a weekly allowance of lib of meat to adults and Boz to children under six years of ago. \ustralian butter cargoes have arrived, allowing of another distribution of butter. The last took place on January 8, Tho applications consist of equal proportions of butter and margarine, MEAT SHORTAGE. Tho meat shortage is most acute. Record queues assembled at iSmithfield Market at 5 a.m., and the stalls were cleared before noon. ' Late-comers secured only liver, sheep's kidneys, and tinned meats. There were also many queues in the London suburbs and in the provinces. Six thousand workers at Peterborough (Northamptonshire) downed tools as a protest against the food shortage, and marched in procession to a ground, where speaker? urged that the 6trike should continue until food supplies were adequate. Tons of diseased moat are reaching Smithfield from Ireland, and have been condemned as unufit for_ consumption. Tho mounted polios and specials havtf

leen called out at Tottenham and Edmonton (London suburbs) to control a mile-long queue. At Bootlo (Liverpool suburb) the crowd atoned a food official who was making an effort to commandeer margarine. APPEAL TO AMERICA". Lord Rhondda, on behalf of the British, French and Italian Governments, has cabled to Mr Hoover :• "Unless you are able to send 75,000,000 bushels of wheat above what vou exported to February 1, irrespective of Canadian exports, I cannot take ihe responsibility of assuring our people Lhat there will be sufficient food to win tho war. It now lies with America to decido ■whether the Allies shall have enough food to hold out until the Americans take tho Sold." „ T Mr Hoover replied: We will export •very possible grain from America, save normal consumption. We will not fail to meet the emergency." America has already exported 60,0(X),00U bushels, but it is absolutely necessary that the country should reduce its present consumption by 30 per cent. Bread cards allowing 12oz per head daily come into operation in France on Tuesday next. AMERICAN ECONOMY. President Wilson has issued a proclamation asking Americans to reduce their wheat consumption by 30 per cent., and to observe Mondays and .Wednesdays as wheatless days, Tuesdays as meatless days, and Saturdays as porkless days; and also to take one wheatless meal daily. The President declared: " Sacrifices are necessary to meet the great responsibility, as Europe's subsistence rests very largely on our shoulders." Mr Hoover, Food Controller, announces that bakers hereafter must make "victory" bread, which must not contain more than 80 per cent of wheat. He has also announced that the Government arc purchasing 30 per cent, of the nation's flour output, totalling three million bushels monthly, for exportation to the Allies. INCREASING PRODUCTION. In the House of Commons Sir Auckland GeaV.es, winding up the debate on the motion for adjournment, said that the Government intended to mako the utmost possible use of the Home Forces for agriculture and similar purposes. The most anxious problem of the moment was not supplying men for tho army, but the production of tonnage for transport, agriculture, and the distribution of food. Tho Manchester Guardian states that the | authorities arc bringing Gorman prisoners ■ from Franco to work on the farms in the South of England. Previous experience I shows that tho experiments are successful. ! Farmers have given up their prejudices against tho employment of prisoners, and the latter arc keen on the work. SHIPPING SHORTAGE. The Admiralty has issued a diagram showing thas the shipbuilding output of March, ! 1918, will have increased fourfold by September, 1918, and sevenfold by December, 1 1918. Tho German coal magnate (Ilerr Hugh

Stinnes) has founded a company for the development of shipping in the overseas 'trade after the war, with an initial capital of five million marks. INCREASING EXPENDITURE. In the House of Commons Mr Bonar Law said the daily average of the national expenditure for the seven weeks ended January 19 was £7,500,000, exceeding the estimate by £1,150,000 daily. MAN-POWER BILL. . The Man-power Bill passed through coin- • mittee in the House of Commons after a lively debate, many members objecting to the _ immense powers vested in a single Minister. Representatives of agricultural j constituencies were particularly critical, de- ! siring that agriculture be withdrawn from tho purview of the Bill. j • Sir Auckland Geddes, in a sympathetic . reply, met tho objections by promising that : any order under the Act should bo subject , to the approval of both Houses. The first clear-cut connection with tho j man-power policy operates from February 1. | It combs out of all the general services men under ,24 years of age. A WAR BONUS. The Press Bureau reports that the War Cabinet has decided from January 1 to pay a bonus of 7£ per cent, to all pieceworkers engaged upon munition work, except the iron and steel trades, provided any bonus or war advance which in the case of time workers is merged in their recent grant of 12£ per cent, shall also merge in the present bonus for pieceworkers. A special conference of employers . and employees in the iron and steel trades is being called to consider the form in which this bonus shall be applied with regard to the settlement in those trades of the 12£ per cent, bonus. THE CAMBRAI REVERSE. DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT. In the House of Commons Mr Bonar Law said that all documents in connection with the Cambrai incpiiry were submitted to the War Cabinet, at whose request General Smuts examined them. General i Smuts's report was approved by the Cabi- I net. It was not subject to revision by ! Lord Derby or by any army councillor. The decision taken by the War Cabinet would not be published. j Mr Bonar Law, when heckled regarding the Cambrai affair, said he was aware that there was a good deal of public dissatisfaction owing to tho non-publication of a detailed account, but the War Cabinet decided that it was not in tho public interest to give more information. Mr Hogge asked if the soldiers from tho front were prevented from telling the I facts*. Mr Bonar Law said: "If the rumours arc the same as thoso which reached me they are entirely unfounded." Major D'avies, in moving the adjournment, said that in view of the vigorous press campaign, the Government should mako a statement regarding Cambrai in order to reossuro tho country. The disquieting rumours and stories of officers , from the front were causing misapprehen-

sion hi the country and in the army. Nothing could be gained by a policy of secrecy. They had been told conflicting stories; as, for instance, that 'this sector was thinly held at the" time of the surprise attack; and, on the other hand, that* it was manned by entire divisions recently engaged at Ypres. They had also been I told that our Higher Command disregarded j repeated warnings from the units holding this* front; that no preparations had been made against attacks; that French reinforcements near-by might probably have been available if asked for. Major Davies ] opposed an inquiry, and maintained that the Commander-in-Chief alone wets responsible for any military disaster in France. 1 Mr J. King (Liberal, Somerset) criticised . Sir Douglas Haig, and urged the appoint ; ment of a new Commander-in-Chief. Mr Kennedy Jones demanded a clear I statement that the Government was satisfied _ that Sir Douglas Haig was the best poseiblo commander. I Mr Macpherson, Under-secretary to the j War Office, in replying; said nothing could j bo crueller than attacks of this sort on j probably the most distinguished general of j the 'time, when he had no opportunity of defending himself, while leading one of the greatest armies in the world ."and coping with the greatest difficulties in the world. He unhesitatingly said that Sir Douglas Haig had never lost the confidence of the Army Council or the War Office. Mr Macpherson admitted that there had been a breakdown at Cambrai. The General Staff knew on November 28 that the enemy contemplated an attack on November 30. He could not go beyond Mr Bonar Law's statement. If Sir Douglas Haig had not initiated an inquiry, Major Davies would have been the first to cavil. The breakdown was not the fault of the General Staff. The dispositions of the troops were pood, and reinforcements were also ready. The War- Cabinet had decided that no one in the Higher Command was blameable for the revcrea, which could not have been avoided. There was a breakdown at a ! particular point of the line, but there was ! no salient. There was an inequality of ! forces at a particular part of 'the line, despite the fact that the General Staff took ! all necessary precautions. The Govern- i ment did not intend publishing the report of the inquiry. The feature of the debate was a remarkable speech by Mr Kennedy Jones, who ! startled the House by declaring that everyone- knew there was the gravest dissatisfaction with the Commander-in-Chief after tho_ Somme campaign (1916). Sir Douglas Hajg did attain objectives, but sacrificed more men than would have been necessary ! to obtain success. Haig's services wero I retained at the beginning of 1917 because | the Cabinet was assured that his removal would lead to a great newspaper oppos-i- j tion. Sir Douglas Haig had promised that if he were left alone and given men he could guarantee certain results by October, 1917, but he had not obtained them. CONFIDENCE IN ARMY CHIEFS. Sir Frederick E. Smith (Attorney-general), speaking at the Canadian Club (Montreal), said that Colonel Repington's allegations in the London Times, to the effect that members of the War Cabinet had interfered I with Sir Douglas Haig's plans, were un- I founded. Sir Douglas Haig and other gene-

rals had been given a greater freedom in the conduct of the campaign than had ever been given to any commander before in Britain's history. The members of the Cabinet had the fullest confidence in Sir Douglas Haig and his v associates. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Bonar Law said that Sir William Robertson and Sir Douglas Haig possessed the full confidence of the Government. He deprecated in the strongest manner the discussions in the press on questions of strategy and the qualifications of individual officers. i ' "~ SOME CHANGES. In the House of Commons Mr Macpherson confirmed the report that Lieutcnant- ! general Sir Henry Lawrence would bo Chief , of the General Staff in France, Colonel G. W. Cox would be Brigadier of the Intelligence Department, and General Travers j Clark Quartermaster-general. These changes were rot made in consequence of the report on the Cambrai reverse. i 1 The Daily Mail says that the authorities have decided to promote officers of the new army to higher commands shortly, beginning by creating a number of brigadier- : generals. I Colonel Arthur Asquith, who was severely i wounded in France, and had a foot ampuj tated, has been promoted to ! general. He won two bars to . his Distinguished Service Order. AN ANGRY WAR CRITIC. The London Star publishes an interview with Colonel Repington, who said he had resigned his appointment as The Times military correspondent. Hitherto he had regarded The Times as a great independent newspaper, with its columns open to criticise_ the Government, public servants, and institutions as the country's welfare de- ' nianded. If the present state of things wero allowed to continue only disaster could befall the country. The Government had lost the confidence not only of labour, but of_ the great majority of the people. If existing methods continued the military and naval services would be wrecked. If, instead of intriguing against generals and admirals, the Government would inform the ration of the seriousness of affairs, it might retrieve the position. The army was tired and disgusted with the intrigues, which sickened every decent-minded person. The army had seen one good man after another sacrificed to cover politicians' blunders' and intrigues Every time an attempt was made to shilt the responsibility from the politician to the soldier, this- campaign of slander and vilification was nauseating. Sir D. Haig s despatch showed that the army a handicap was due to the difficulty of «ccurirg drafts sufficiently long before the divi- I sions went into battle. Sir D. Haig also | made a report upon the Cambrai affair. I Iho officers responsible were quite prepared to taka any blame justly, attributed to them; but tiie War Cabinet again resorted to secrecy. Why not tell the publio the truth ? The Morning Post has appointed Colonel Repington as its military critic. Colonel Repington, in an article in the Morning Post, criticises the Government's man-power proposals. He states that the Germany alone have accumulated 165 divisions on the west front, and he estimates

that from 200 to 220 divisions will be eventually thrown against the Anglo-French forces, although they may attack befora their concentrations are complete in order to forestall the' arrival of the Americans. He expects the arrival of Austrians, of whom some are already in Belgium. "The British casualties - for the war period,' says Colonel Repington, "arc only a little higher than £he French dead. The British need at least 880;O0O men, in addition to the 450,000 already in view." One hundred thousand men should he considers, be withdrawn from distant campaigns, notably Salonika, and the "comb-out" from industries should be increased by 320,000 men and conscription be extended to' Ireland, yielding another 200,000. "f AFTER THE WAR. A White Paper shows that to December 8, 87 commissions and committees have been appointed to deal with post-war reconstruction problems. Separate committees have been appointed to deal with all leading manufacturing and producing industries, with special attention to research and also education. Dr Addison has appointed to the committee of manufacturers a number of business men who will compile a list of articles which were not made in Britain before the war. * A Labour advisory panel of skilled and unskilled workmen will co-operate. In tho House of Commons, Mr Wing, M.P., suggested that experienced commercial travellers ehould be appointed as commercial attaches to British Embassies. Mr Steeb Maitland replied that a Select. Committee was considering: the matter of ap- N pointmonts on the commercial side of the diplomatic and consular service. The Minister of Munitions has extended . the orders controlling spelter to all zino and compounds. The .Non-Ferrous Metal Bill has been read a third time in tho House of Commons. PROPOSED GALLIPOLI MEDAL. In the House of Commons, replying to Mr Leslie Wilson, Mr Macpherson stated thfft the Imperial and Dominion Governments were sympathetically considering the question of issuing a medal or decoration to troops participating in the operations at Gallipoli, but no decision had yet been reached. The question was extremely difficult, involving a good deal of interviewing and correspondence with the various Governments concerned. FRENCH TRAITORS. M. Calllaux's plan for the revision of the French Constitution deprived the Chamber of Deputies of all legislative power, transferring the power to make laws to a reorganised Council composed of members of Parliament, officials, business men, and bankers. < Tho Senate was to be merely a consultative body. Sensational developments are expected in Paris in connection with the arrest of a man and a woman whoso names have not been forthcoming, charged with espionage. The Eoho de Paris reports that a wirelees installation was discovered in the rooms of Captain Seailles, who is charged with giving Almerlyda information regarding thei

Salonika ' army which Almerlyda transmitted to Germany. GENERAL ITEMS. New York newspapers have increased their price to two cents. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr J I Macpherson (Parliamentary Underscretary to the War Office) said that suitable provision-had been made in regard .o supplying soldiers in the trenches with body protection against rifle bullets. It is announced that the Allied Premiers and "War Ministers will probably get to Paris shortly. M. Thomas suggests that the Entente Powers should offer Mr Wilsons terms to Germany diplomatically. Lord Curzon announced in the House ot Lords that Great Britain had informed Persia that Britain regarded the AngloRussian agreement of 1907 as suspended, and emphasised that Britain desired Persia to remain neutral during war-time in return for complete independence after the war. , , A deputation of London members of the House of Commons, in interviewing the Shipping Controller to-day, made reference to the report that the Port of London was being closed to merchant shipping. They pointed out that this would cause a vast dislocation of labour and trade. The Press Bureau reports that the closing of the Port of London is officially denied. A MISSING NEW ZEALANDER. Captain Charles K. Ward, who disappeared recently, belongs to the New Zealand - Dental Corps. Captain Ward was at Mount Felix Hospital, Walton, and came back from France ill. Plis bicycle and hat and letters have been found in the Thames. Captain Charles K. Ward is the third son of the Rev. C. S. Ward, of Christchurch, and brother to Mr P. B. Ward, solicitor. He was the first dentist to enlist, and went to Samoa with the advance guard. Returning, he went on to the European front. He has four brothers at the front. He was in business in Wellington before joining up, and was married just before leaving for England. GERMAN TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. New . Zealand soldiers from Germany, •who are now interned in Switzerland, state that they spent much of their time at Dulmen. Two attempts at escape failed. Allied prisoners were brutally treated, and many of our men were starved. At Dulmen they were in a pitiful condition. , There were three camps, each holding 900 men attached to the Burgsteinfurt, which consisted of underground dungeons in eand. In the winter they were awful, and in summer they teemed with fleas. One New Zealander, who spent eight months at one camp, said 'the German non-commissioned officers treated _ their prisoners well, but at Hohenfurst a similar camp was a hell upon earth. . A New Zealander who witnessed the Mannheir air raid, said 'that though it failed it had a considerable effect upon the people. He was convinced that if the raids were continued drastically they would do much to hasten the end' of the war. GERMANY'S LOST COLONIES. The destiny of the captured German colonies is occupying attention. The Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales made a speech, in which he referred to the danger of the future of New Guinea being judged in the light of insufficient knowledge. He said that one circumstance to which, sufficient attention had never been drawn was that Australia was the one country in the world threatened with the curso of a land frontier with such a nation as Germany. Under such circumstances as might have been avoided, New Guinea had been left with divided authority. _ "Quito apart from the dangers arising from submarine posts on the coasts of New Guinea, there is this eternal rankling sore in front of us of a land that can at any moment raise a quarrel about mines, oilfields, or anything else. The idea of self-determination in such a case, where occupants like the Germans are using every moment to secure their own prestige with the native people, is one that no Australian can contemplate with equanimity for a single moment." The Federal Senate passed resolutions regarding the after-the-war destiny of the captured Germa,n colonies, and demanding the representation of Aus'tralian interests at Washington. It was announced that the Government's Intentions would be made known upon the resumption of Parliament after 'tho adjournment. AUSTRALIA'S ASSISTANCE. In tho Federal Senate Senator Millen estimated the war expenditure of the Commonwealth to Juno of this year at £214,880,673, of which £25.831,916 will be paid out of revenue and £189,045,757 out of loan. The annual interest amounted to £8.747,214. The Federal Government is preparing the prospectus of a new war loan, to be issued in a few weeks. In tho EUuse of Representatives Mr Hughes said that the Government had directed attention without delay to tho auestion of maintaining reinforcements for le Australian forces.