Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-22
TROUBLES PILE Up / /
BEFORE CHURCHILL
Naval Estimates Call for
$780, 600, 000-PoIicy of
Oil Fuel Opposed.
Foreign Correspondence Of The Star.

Foreign Correspondence of The Star. -
LONDON. February Il. 1914. =
The troubles of Winston Churchill. first
lord OF the admiralty. are multiplying.
Besides having to get naval estimates
which are now said to amount to $780,
100000 through the house of commons.
he will have to Withstand the fire OF Lord
Charles Beresford and other critics OF his
policy on oil fuel. which is only to bo
used as an auxiliary to coal In the bat
tleships recently laid down. A commits :
sion is considering the matter and any
discussion would ordinarily be postponed
until the commission issued Its report,
but the action of the admiralty in re-
verting to coal without awaiting the
opinion of the commission has invited
criticism.
various reports are current on the sub
ject. One is that oil is not proving sat
isfactory as a motive power as its adj
vocates believed. but possibly the great
increase in price may explain the re-
version. for a time. at least to coal.
One OF the arguments in favor OF OH
was the ease and rapidity with which 10
could be poured into the furnaces This
advantage. 1t is said. has been more than
neutralixed by the rise in the price OF
oil. Another argument that may have in
iuenced the admiralty is that the sources
can be obtained are small. Should
oil be exclusively used In the navy il
would be necessary to build great reser-
voirs to insure supply in war time, and
this may be another reason for the de-
cision. While the unionists have been
supporting Mr.. Churchill in his demand
for a supreme navy. this matter of oil
will give them an opportunity to attack
him. -.
Has Financial Troubles.
Lloyd George. chancellor of the ex-
chequer. has assented to the increased
expenditure demanded by Mr.. Churchill
and his technical advisers. and he will
probably face the necessity OF raising
the money. In view of the falling
trade and the fact that the expend ture
for the current fiscal year has exceeded
the revenue. he will likely have a def
.cit this year. and. unless new taxation
is imposed. an even bigger one next
year. Many cabinet meetings hava
been held to discuss the question, auc
there IL a lot of speculation 10 what
the government has decided to do. Mr..
George favors tax on the site vai-.
ues. Another question is that the gov.
eminent will follow the policy oul.ned'
by Mr.. Asquith by lowering the amount.
of income subject to the tax Tnis if
opposed by many liberals. as ii would
probably touch the pockets Of many
workingmen. -
Before Mr. George introduces his.
budget he will meet the leading bank
ers and discuss the present methods %
tax collection and possible improve
ments, with d view of making the pres
ent taxes realize more tu6n they have
in the past Tho chancellor. Is corr
cerned with the super-taNs which he In-
troduced, and which is not yielding to
its full extent, owing to the method
by which 1t is assessed and collected
Then there are certain classes of Sc
curities which escape taxation alto-
xsther, and there is growing practice
Of large land owners of TRANSFORM S
property in their lifetime and thus
evading death duties.
Birmingham Situation.
With the retirement at the next gen
era. election of Joseph Chamberlain ana
Jesse Ceilings, interest In the political
situation In Birmingham has become
acute For years now the Chamberlain
circle has dominated Birmingham, and
each succeeding election has seen diini-
mutton IN the liberal poll in that city. once
as Bright said. Liberal as the sea Is
salt" The liberal organization, out OF
regard for Mr.. Chamberlain's state o.
health, did not oppose him at the last
general election, but they have been pre-
pairing for some years for the day when
he would retire. They hardly anticipated
that Mr.. Ceilings, who has hold "a the
electorate only second to that OF Mr.
Chamberlain himself, would drop out 81
the same time, and consequently they
have high hopes of at least making Il
start in the fight to win back the city to
the liberal side. It will be slow Process.
for although neither Austen Chamberlain
or his brother can carry the Birmingham
people like their father did, the family
name carried a lot of weight Austen
Chamberlain has been offered the nomina-
ton for West Birmingham, his fathers
constituency, and will doubtless accept.
for IL is necessary to keep the flag OF
tariff reform flying in the center OF the
movement, the one big manufacturing city
where there has been no wavering on
this question. 1t would. of course, be
wrench to give up his seat in East
Worcestershire. which has remained faith
full to him since he entered politics just