Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1917. THE FOOD SITUATION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14329, 20 June 1917, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 1917. THE FOOD SITUATION.

Britain's food" situation*,* 'we gather from our latest Home advices, is serious but not critical.' This seems io be the best phrase for summing up the purpose behind the many "activities now going bn U> increase * the supply and 'decrease the consumption -of , food ,irt the United kingdom. Ail war is a gamble, with both belligerents -trying., -.to reduce the elements of chance. Ehgland is 'neither starving, nor has she a bountiful supply of food. The recent alarming statements which painted the situation darkly were justified 'from one point of but were calculated to exaggerate its seriousness. They were intended to impress the people with ' the necessity for the strictest economy, so as to reduce the element of chance. ' It was given as just ' pttMdbltf that V Germany ' could "win with h*£Y J gubnteribes;'' but" as 7f ar "' f i'ohi probable. So long; as there is that possibility it is, the duty of the Government, the nation/ and the 'Allies ' to see. that nothing is left to chance. "Take these arbitrary figures'," Writes an English correspondent. "If we say that Germany ndw lids one chance r 6ut of five of-starv^ ing England .and- winning the war, the people twill not rest content^ Until the odds become one to ten^ ' If : we say that England has 600,000 tons of grain, 'd* two months .-reserve^ and that Germany is sinking 100,000 tons,por!one-thifd of the amount required, then at the end of a moilth this deseive is cut to 500,000 tons aiid iii" six Tnonths. is completely exhausted. But if the consumption is reduced one-third aiid the'siiikings' do Apt increase the reserve remain's ' stationary . There are two big ,'ifs' here; that is what is worrying- the far-sighted. They Avant no 'ifs' when the stakes are "so high. I know the figures on grain rfef serves, I know the rate* of sinkings,' and I know the leaders here consider that every ounce of help that America qah give' is needed." America, to its credil!,; is- setting out to give us all the h'el'pt that it ccarn r and by- the conservation of j food within its owii boundaries m order' to make more - available for export, and by the spurt m shipbuilding, the construction of aeroplanes and the naval measures taken' foi* the suppression of submarines it will give . very material assistance. Lord 1 Northcliffe's mission to America, as we read to-day, is designed to speed up" the v enterprise of oHir American bourns' aiid 'direct it into channels • where it will' be of most practicable help. The British Government still hopes to'-carry bii. the "War without -adapting compulsory'; rationings because such ■ a system -requires n big intricate machine witli niahy 7 operators* But they will set it up either if the sinkings increase or consumption fails to diminish. The food barometer is being studied as closely 'as a pilot watches the compass. ,J £he present month .of Julie, nbw hastening to a close, wAs ex'-y p'Ccted 1 to test the country to the limit ahdi as there: is' as yet' no sign' of contipufsory rationing we may take it- that. ;Britain lias weathered the storm satisfactorily. During this ' month the submarines have the benefit of the longest days "df the yeai-J w.hi^ -J ie "f°°d imports are^ at a- -minimum.. In a few weeks"- there will '■'' arrive cargoes of Indian grain and there will be the^liarj, vesting of the supplies of home-grown garden products. Many newspapers have attacked Lord Devonport, the. late Food Controller, for his failure to ration the country, and it is interesting to note (

[that not a single objection is offered to, the principle or compulsion } but we may a take it that if the situation had demand- i\ ed compulsory rationing it would have a been enforced, all the machinery being ready. The t'hange m the control of food supplies, by which Lord Devonport ,h«iS' given .place to Loi'd TRhondda', ' has been brought about not through the nonenforcemeilt of rationing biit" because of very grave dissatisfaction ivbidh Existed }• m connection with the" fhibje'fct otpro- .' steering. Ml* • Lloyd Geoi'ge.htts i&km I a hand and demauded that stieC'utdtioii * m foodstuffs, particularly lii meat, which hds evidently beeii carried oh to 1 a considerable extent, enormous fortunes, i hehig 'made- iiiusfc StoW. Lold, Devonport t resigned' cisteHgibly beaaufefi q? illtiess, i but it is Very eVideiit' tliat tliere WAS t grave' dissatisfaction at his failure to control -the profiteers, and that ( Prime Minister, realising the serious f consequences to the nation of exploita-, J tioiv by speculators, is determined it ] shall cease, In Lord RMioiidda t)ie Go- ( verhmeitt have clio^i aii ad'ihiili'stratdr , of great ability— a man ' who 'haa out- . 1 standing qualifications foi* the post Ot j i"universal provider" — and we may be i sure that food distribution will now be put ov a better basis: and that there will bo an elimination of exploitation and waste. The British' people are iully alive' to the' fact that food economy organisation is' an of the greatest national importance and is helping them as much almost as the production of L munitions or the lighting m the trenches I to win tlie war.' The Food Controller will "have the whole-hearted support of the nation m any nieasures that he deems necessary for the enlargement of the margin of food supply, and with the arrival of the harvest season and the multiplication of measures taken for the suppression of the submarines we may : hope soon to hear that the Motherland has been placed m a position of absolute Security m this regard.