The Sun SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1916. LLOYD GEORGE v. HINDENBURG.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 884, 9 December 1916, Page 8

The Sun SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1916. LLOYD GEORGE v. HINDENBURG.

Mr Lloyd George is at last deflnite- !\ Prime Minister, and is hard at •work forming a \finisiry—if that onerous ia.sk ha- nol been completed. Shi tain's new ivadev, in conference with the Labour Parly, declared that the single plank in his political platform was the vigorous prosecution of Live war to a victorious conclusion. With such a balilecry Mr Lloyd Georges can scarcely fail to enlist die sympaihies and support of a majority in the country, alwa> s provided he is able lo produce plans which promise lo bring about :,;;rh a d< sirable eimsummalion. \Ve an in the I bird y. >r of The bit; push hi Ihe v.e-,1 from which so much v "as aniieipaicd has come to a standstill. H m:s\ be revised at any moment if »vealber conditions and the gruv-ral military situation favour, biii :i! pr< sen! Ihe Abies are Ihe em.m\ is deep iniu i'Uummia. and Greece ha.-, become oveiliy hostile. '! he Shnnrmlau and Hellene : ag:"d:es uol immcdieiely ai'lVt ! Ihe A Hied measures muss b • ad ;:b d to counteract the e-ie.iii'; m'diiar> and diplomatic achievements hi Hie Balkans, So Car lh< 1 oo!ie> , backed «;> i>> the s!, al.-g;-. of those pastmusters in the ans •>!' v ar. Maokeuscn and t'alkoi'diayn, has substantially reduced live points s<•>..red h\ the Allies in ihe west end ihe Russians in the east, and on l-'citnin I'aiis the icspo!isd>iiil> lo put a stop to Germany's progress. The Prime Minister's ta.sk is a particularly exae.ting one. He is called upon lo outgame and outfight Hindenburg. More men, more guns and shells, move merchant ships arc the need of ihe hour. To meet this need withou! benefiting one branch of the service at the expense of another will require a reoi'gamsaUon of Ihe whole industrial system o l ' Ihe foiled Kingdom, so that, as Mr Lloyd George points out, the country's man-power may be directed into Hie best channels. The Irish question will have to be settled sooner or later, for there are lens of Ihousnnds !' c:igihle men (it for mililar> service still in Ireland. .These must be obtained lo i\ denish Ihe ■!, ii< ted i auks ; :!' Ihe Irish regiments which have v<- >; enduring fa me on Ihe varum- l>;:':'clicltls of F.arope, ! ~<•-•! men and mechanics will have !■• he M'-md lo accelerate shiubiiMdimr. the coal supply must he mairdrioed if no! increased, and, on top of this programme, Mr Lloyd George has promised Labour, whose support as a parly he has secured by substantial concessions, that food prices will be rigorously controlled by Ihe Government. Meanwhile the trouble with Constantine calls for drastic measures on Ihe part of the Allies. The Allied prospects in the Balkans have been seriously prejudiced by recent events in the Near East, and if the pro-German King and Government are nol dealt with summarily, those prospects may be hopelessly compromised. As the settlement of this and other vital problems brooks of no delay, it is lo be hoped that the political situation will soon be cleared lip one way or another, and thus permit of Britain settling down once more in earnest to defeat Germany.