West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-02-18
new MOVE
TO CRUSH ENEMY
England Hints at Complete
Blockade OF G,Tmaa Coast
STIRRED BY RAID THREATS

I'VE Are Not Going TO Let Germany
Play Pirate PART" Says Lord
Churchill In House OF Commons.
War Is Costing Allies $4,000. .ooo..
600 a Year, According to Chancellor
OF the Excheauer Lloyd-oeorse.
London. Feb. 16.-Winston Spencer
Churchill, first lord OF the admiralty.
stated in the house OF commons that
Great Britain has prepared a plan to
prevent the importation of foodstufs
In neutral ships To- Germany. He also
announced that effective means would
be taken to meet Germany's new naval
policy as regards British mercantile
shipping, saying:
= "Englands reply to the German
threat will not be ineffective. We
shall see to II that Germany Is not
permitted to adopt system OF open
piracy and murder"
What line this new aggressive
action will take Is not known. In
some quarters Churchill's speech was
taken TO mean that the allies have
definitely decided to declare n block.
ade OF the German coast and starvt
Germany into submission.
THE British navy itself could, un
der certain circumstances, decide the
Issues OF the war;" said tho first lord.
"The new British supcrdreadnaughts
are being equipped with guns far more
mi I'm
Germans. We are not going to stand
IDLY by and see Germany carry into
effect her threat to play the pirate
part and raid English shipping. IL is
probable that Il new plan OF action
Will bring the full pressure of British
naval power to bear upon Germany"
England has hitherto rejected the
suggestion that she blockade the Ger.
man coast and stop importation OF
food into Germany. A remark dropped
by the first lord In his speech indi.
Gated that the allies are seriously con.
sidering the question of decreeing
such blockade If they have not al
ready ace
Churchill told the house OF com
mons that OF the sixty-three merchant
vessels sunk since the war broke out,
only nineteen have been lost in the
last three months. He said that Brit
ish naval losses during the war have
boen $500 officers and men. The Ger.
man navy's losses In men have been
about the same as England's. he said,
but the percentage OF officers killed
In action or drowned has been much
larger.
Mr.. Churchill gave an interesting
review OF the naval situation I'm intro
ducing the naval estimates. He said
that efficiency was the keynote OF the
admiralty's program and that at the
outbreak of the war the supplies OF
ammunition, men and oil were com
plete. Every ship In the navy which
was ft for service, as well as new
ships which were being built for for
eign governments and armed mer-
chantmen. had been fully manned.
"In fact, the German army was no
more III for an attempted war on a
gigantic scale than was the British
feet for national Defense" he said.
After six months OF war with new
dangers and difficulties coming into
view we have every right To- be con-
tent with the results of our labors I'm
making provision for the navy"
After referring to the naval battles
of the Falkland islands and In the
North sea, Mr.. Churchill said:
"Only two small cruisers and two
armed merchantmen remain OF all the
German preparations TO attack our
trade routes and these are I'm hiding"
Explaining the arrangement made
at the recent conference between the
finance ministers OF France and Rus
STA and himself in Paris, David Lloyd
George told the house OF commons
that the expenditures OF the allies on
the war would be $4,000. 900 900 dur.
Ing the current year, OF which Great
Britain was spending more money
than were her two allies.
The present war, Mr.. Lloyd George
said. was the most expensive in ma
terial, men and money that had ever
been waged.
Great Britain, the chancellor OF the
exchequer told the house OF commons,
could nnanCe the war for FIVE years
out OF the proceeds of her investments
abroad. France was able TO do so for
about two or three years with some.
thing to spare. Russia, he said, al.
though prodigiously rich I'm natural
resources, was In different position.
Mr.. Lloyd-George said that Il was
decided at the conference of the
finance ministers in Paris not TO Issue
a Joint loan.
Tho chancellor said that Russia had
Increased her productivity from 30 to
40 per cent by suppresslng the sale
OF vodka. Russia had had special diff
hculties In financing her purchases
abroad and the same thing applied 10
France. 81 am not suro we realize
the strain upon this gallant country"
the chancellor said.
Drys Claim vlctofv