The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-20
Copyrighted Cable Dispatch by H.
G. Wells from London to the
New York World.1

LONDON, Aug. 11-This Is wal
torn article; conyalescent article
1t is characteristic of the cheerful gal
Iantry of the times, that after being
left for dead on Saturday evening
this article should be able, in an only
very slightly damaged condition, tt
take its place in the firing line again
this morning.
1t was written late Friday night;
written In a mood of righteous excite
ment, and it was an extremely mel
fective article. In the night could
hardly sleep because of its badness
and because | did SO want It to hit
hard and get its effect.
I turned out of bed about O'CLOCK
in the morning and redrafted 1t. The
next day l wrote it all over again DIFF
rerently and carefully, and / think
better. In the afternoon it was blown
UP by the discovery that Mr.. Runci
man had anticipated its essential idea
Food Bill Passes.
He had brought in and the house
OF commons had passed through all
its stages bill to give the board OF
trade power to requisition and deal
with boarded or reserved food. That
was exactly the demand of my article
My article, about to die, saluted this
most swift and decisive government
OF ours.
Then l preceived that there were
still many things to be said about
this requisitioning Of food. The board
of trade has got it's powers, but ap-
parently they have still to be put into
operation. 1t is extremely desirable
that there should be strong public
opinion supporting and watching the
exercise of these powers, and that
they should be applied at the proper
point Immediately
The powers that Mr.. Runciman as
secured so rapidly for the board OF
trade have now to be put into opera
ton. There must be equally rapid de-
velopment of local committees and
commanders to carry out his ideas.
The shortage continues; it Is not
over.
Charity Right Of Poor.
The common PEOPLE, who are send
ing their boys SO bravely and uncom-
plainingly to the front, must be re,
lieved at once from the intoieraole
hardships which certain sections OF
the prosperous classes, small sec
ton but an actively mfschievous sec
ton, is causing them. It is right,
not a demand for charity. 1t is rid
iculous to treat the problem in any
other way.
SO far the poorer English have dis
played an amazing and exemplary pa
tience in this crisis; a humility and
courage that makes one prouder fol
being English. Apart from any failure
OF employment at the present time, II
must be plain to any one who has
watched the present rise In prices
and who either knows anything a,
first hand OF the experiences Of the
poor householder or who has acqufr
ed the knowledge by reading the re
ports of such investigations as those
of Mrs. Pember Reeves upon the fam
fly budgets OF the poor that the rank
and file of our population cannot now
be getting enough to eat. :.
Poor Suffering Neediessly.
They are suffering needless depriv
alton and they also are suffering need
less vexation and distresses. 1t IL
that pretentfous section Of the pros
porous classes, that section which We
might hit of with the phrase, auto
mobile driving villadom,' the "Tarin
Reformed-an nd Damn-Lloyd-Geor ant
keir Hardie,' class, the most pamp
cred and least public spirited Of any
stratum in the community which ha:
grabbed at food.
1t has given way to an inglorious
panic; 1t has broken its ranks ant
stampeded to the stores and has made
the one memorable exception IN the
splendid spectacle of our nationa
solidarity.
While the attention Of all decen
English folk has been concentrates
upon the preparedness OF our supreme
blow at Prussian Tredominance II
Europe, Villadom has been swarm1n:
to the shops, buying up the food
the common people, and carrying
| OH IN the idUlIy ce,l, dooAhSu "
course, with fiutterins little unio1
| lacks. Father has given day from
| business: mother has helped, and evel
those shiny headed nuts, the sons
have condescended to assist, and tn
new Vflladom, feeling a little safel
is ready with the dinner bell, 1t
characteristic instrument of music, t
maf,tck ct the victories 1t has don
ITS best to spoil.
True to it's origins.
And viIadom promoted and dill
tended. villadom in luck turned mi
lionaire on scale that can buy
peerage and write you its thousand:
of-pounds cheque for snowy subscriI
ton lists, has been true to its origin:
Lord Maffick, emulating Mr.. an
Mrs. Matick, has swept his distrie
of four--let the thing go down [