The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-08
GREAT BRITAIN
N GREAT FEVER
Food Supply Is One of Mighty
Questions.
WAR MEANS STARVATION
ChamberIain's Homecoming
Involves Many Interests.

London, March Sat last the Ministry
has been compelled to take seriously the
movement for better safeguarding of
the food supply in time OF war. At yes
terdays Mansion House meeting, pre-
sided over by the Lord Mayor, expires
sions of the greatest anxiety lest Eng
land at war might mean England starved.
came from such leaders of commercial
and political life as the President of the
Institute Of Bankers, an ex-President OF
the London Chamber Of Commerce, the
Chairman Of Lloyd's Register of Shipping,
the Chairman of the London Stock Elk
change, Lord Hugh Cecil, Lord Sails
bury's nephew. Lord Charles Beresford,
and many other admirals.
Mr.. Balfour could not do less than re-
ceive this deputation as he has engaged
to do, on Thursday next. Behind this
infiuentially supported movement are two
chief impulses, one directed toward an
increase in size of the navy, and the other
tending to the protection of homegrown
supplies. Ostensibly the movement aims
at nothing more than to secure an in
quiry by a royal commission. This Mr..
Balfour probably will grant. Then will
come the turn of the theorists and fad
dists whose many ingenious plans have
failed as yet to bring them one step
nearer TO the solution of the problem
how to feed England when at war.
Incidentally. one certain effect of this
movement will be further to discredit Mr..
Brodrick's pompous army corps scheme.
The fact that the House of Commons,
this week, defeated the motion condemn
A.. nc
nothing. 1t was no love for Mr.. Brod-
rick's plan that brought the Nationalist
into the Government lobby. No fewer
than seventy Ministerialists stayed away
unimpaired, and the minority included
twenty others of the most brainy and
energetic young Ministerialists. All this
would portend stormy seas for Mr.. Brod-
rick and his scheme, even if it had not
been riddled to shreds by debate which
emphasized once again the fact that no
conceivable army can save an England
defeated on the seas. By driving Eng
lishmen back upon that conviction, Mr..
Brodrick unwittingly is strengthing the
demand for such naval expenditure as
will leave all other European nations out
of the running.
Following up the House of Commons
attack Lord Darlington. who speaks
with the authority Of an ex-Australian
governor moves against Mr.. Brodrick' S
scheme in the House Of Lords next week,
and the army estimates will keep the
question alive in the Commons. If an
effective alternative Ministry, Liberal or
coalition, were in sight, not alone this
scheme, but the Ministry itself, would
be short-lived
Yesterday another national conference
was held, with theme not unassociated
with the swollen army expenditure. 1t
concerned the problem of the unemployed,
which," as Lady Warwick said. had
become popular, and was in danger of
becoming fashionable" Sir John Gorst,
until the other day, a responsible min
lister. declared that one-thrd of the
British people lived in penury, misery and
want 1T is damnabler' he shouted. He
urged the restriction of public works.
Sir Oliver Lodge, principal of the Birm-
ington University, proposed the cultiva-
ton of large tracts in the ''black country"
and elsewhere, now mostly waste. In the
end the conference threw the response
bility of finding work jointly upon the
local authorities and the central Govern
ment. All speeches .betokened uneasi-
ness at the happy-go-lucky way in
which the national expenditure was ad-
vancing. This was the theme of Lord
Roseberys striking speeches, this week,
and probably will be made the subject
of an official opposition motion in Par
lament.
Mr.. Chamberlain's triumphant return
will be the next great event in English
politics. The Ministers, from Mr.. Bal
four downwards. are tumbling over each
other IN their haste to accept invitations
to the Lord Mayors Luncheon in his
honor. Among other matters awaiting
Mr. Chamberlain is the Irish Land bill
Mr.. Morley has assumed too hastily thar
the Ministry will accept the land con-
ference demand for the free grant. capt.
taliZed. of about twenty-five millions
sterling and a liability of one hundred
millions on loan. Just upon that point
the Ministers await Mr.. Chamberlain
opinion. What is certain is that the
question will be approached in a spirit
Of the greatest iiberality consistent with
the state OF British finances.