Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-11-22
ALLIES BEGIN TO CONSERVE.
Simultaneous Action of Entente Pow.
erS Indicates Food Shortauc.

London, Nov. 15.-For the first
time since the outbreak Of the war,
the menace Of food shortage, hitherto
only vaguely alluded to, has loomed
up in all earnestnesS in the three
leading entente nations-lIngland
Russia and France. AS if by a given
signal, the governments OF each ST.
multaneously cast off all sentimental
ity and fear Of what will the people
think?" and firlnly faced the issue
and set about taking such measures
as were publicly conceived to be i'm
perative lest hunger lose the war for
the allies.
In the British Parliament Walter
Runciman, president Of the board of
trade, spoke out, upon pre-arrange-
ment with the government, what
everybody has been whispering for
months: That the German U-boat
campaign has cut deep into the net
work of maritime facilities by which
Great Britain brings foodstuffs to
her shores from all parts of the world
and that drastic measures are neces-
sary to re-establish the severed lines
of supply and to cut and regulate the
food consumption at home a food
dictator" for England was predicted
after his speech as the Inevitable nc"
dunn of translating his words into &C
ton.
In the Russian Duma, the budget
committee urged immediate assump-
ton by the government Of the control
OF food distribution and regulation of
prices.
In France the public was semi
officially prepared for a government
decree ushering in rigid war econom-
les In an effort to compel the saving
of coal, light and provisions.
President Runcimans speech was
made in the course of a general dis
cussion of the food problem in the
House Of Commons, precipitated by n
resolution introduced by William
Hewins, Unionist member from
Hereford, putting the House on rec
ord as considering it the duty Of the
government "to adopt further meth
DDS OF organization to increase and
conserve the national food supply and
to diminish the risk of shortage and
serious increase Of prices in the event
Of the war being prolonged.
The debate which followed the res
olution was welcomed by the govern
ment, and questions, which, had they
been asked three months ago, would
have met with the usual government
reply, that it was mot in the interest
of the nation" to discuss them, were
to-day freely debated. There was no
effort to conceal the fact that if Eng
land to-day suffers from eXhorbitant
food prices and faces & serious short
age, it is due solely to the German
submarine campaign. Lord Charles
Beresford and Baron Sydenham.
leading the debate on this subject.
cited facts and figures to remove all
doubts on the point. and President
Runciman, taking the constructive
view Of the matter, emphatically urg-
ed the immediate pooling Of Britain 8
engineering resources to bring the
British merchant fleet back to It's
pre-war strength. or as nearly to 1t as
possible.
Sweeping measures giving the gov
ernment full power to deal with the
situation, both as regards the ship
ping problem and the resultant food
crisis, are looked for. 1t Is regarded
as most probable that an order in
council will be announced making
such steps possible.
Sugar. potatoes, -four and milk
are the chief products figuring in the
food situation. Drastic steps are ex-
pected to be taken to control their
distribution and their prices. l'sury
in prices was one Of the main sub
jects Of Runciman's speech. lie flayed
those taking advantage Of the ma
tional crisis and pointed to the neces
sity Of a governmental check OF the
evil.