The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-12
GERMAN TRADE TO
 BE HARASSED MORE
tContinued from Page One,

government was sufficient to last many months and sugar prices now were approximately the same as in the | United States notwithstanding the fact that the United States can show con siderable internal sugar supplies as wei as close connections with Cuba. The government policy. Premier AS quith said, had prevented the surplus of sugar in Germany being sold. Any l change in the price of sugar in the next few weeks would be downward Dealing with the future. Premier As quith said Argentine wheat soon would be available. Russia would facilitate in every way the export of wheat to the allies. There was reason to believe that after June there would be suffi- cient quantities of wheat available. Regarding shipping. the prime minis ter said nine vessels of considerable size, now occupied by prisoners of war. |.wonld-lbe released for service and-the admiralty would relinqufsh vessels in its service whenever possible. The pro-. oeedings of the prize court, he added. would be accelerated.
 As to the shortage of transport la Dor, MT. Asquith said 12 per cent of the railroad employees was serving in the army, and that 5000 Liverpool dock workers had enlisted.
 No Maximum Prices
 'The government" said the premier, has been invited to fix maximum prices-which the German government has done with such disastrous results and to buy up all the available sup plies in Europe, but don't think steps of that kind would facilitate the de- sired end. The government desires to do everything possible to guard the o yo r1cf hav vdyht t.~, great war like the present must, how ever, demand sacrifices, and the work ing classes are not the last to recognize and acknowledge this"
 A. Bonar Law. opposition leader, who followed MT. Asduith. said he thought the government might have done d little more than it had and that it should, especially when it knew Turkey would enter the war and that the Dsr- danelles would be closed, have bought up larger quantities of wheat
 Fixing a maximum price, he said, would be impracticable because if it were fixed below the worlds price not a quarter of wheat would be sent to this country.
 earlier, MT. Bonar Law said. fin reducing the high cost of freights. It was com mon knowledge, he said, that many ships taken by the admiralty often lay idle for weeks and months.
 The government, MT. Bonar Law said, kas as much right to seize shipping or- ganizations as it had to seize individ- uals, but, he added, the time for that had not yet come.
 The opposition leader said there was a limit to the profits which should be made out of war. When that limit was reached he willingly would consider proposals to prevent it being exceeded. If the premier could convince dealers there would be a plentiful supply of wheat by June he was sure that the price immediately would fall.
 John R. Clynes. speaking for the labor party, said that the peace truce in indus- try could not be continued unless some relief were given. Tho premier. he added. would have to give some more practical understanding than he had done as the workingmen could not live on promises alone. fin the opinion of the house the in- crease in prices of the necessaries of life is not justified by any economic conse- quences of the war, but is largely caused by the holding up of stocks and by in- adequate provision of transport facilities; and that therefore, the government should prevent this unjustihat5le increase by em- ploying shipping and railway facilities necessary to put the required supplies on the market, by fixing maximum prices ecd l by acquiring control of the commodities that are, or may be, subjected to artificial | costs"
 MT. Clynes explained that the labor l party would not divide the house on the l amendment. but wanted another day to 1 discuss the matter.