The Washington herald., 1917-01-28

answered, Still too low
The military authorities, then, are con-
fdent of victory. The new offensive ta"-
tics discovered by Nivelle and practiced
first on the Somme. and then in an i'm
proved version at Verdun, cannot be
adopted by Germany on the West front,
for Germany cannot make the necessary
guns and shells in such quantities as her
opponents. Germany's one chance Is to
I find the reply to Nivelle before the main
attack comes and try to hold out and
produce deadlock in 1917, such as was
created this autumn on the Somme.
Lloyd George, Curzon. Miner. and Car
son are determined that the effort to beat
Germany shall not fail because the Brit
Ish people have not put their last ounce
of effort into the war. They realize that
the Asquith policy of waging war cannot
be continued, for the economic strain IS
getting steadily worse, and as Lloyd
George announced in 1915. time is no
longer on the side of the entente, but is a
doubtful neutral"
The policies of the new government
which will put the whole British people
under orders and bring about a social
revolution, are not likely to be announced
in detail until Parliament reconvenes in
February, but the following moves among
others may now be regarded as certain:
Industrial COnscriptiOn.
Industrial conscription has been de-
Cided upon for all men between 16 and
GO. As in Germany, this service will be
voluntary at first, but if the men re-
quired in any industry are not obtained
promptly cOmpulsion will be applied and
the government has power to transfer
men from their homes to any part Of the
country where they may be needed. Com
pulsion for women on the same lines is
expected to follow as soon as the i'm
mense task of organizing the male labor
is disposed of. Caste and social barriers,
Lloyd George has assured labor repre-
sentatives> will be given no weight in
this truly national mobilization, and
profiteering will not be permitted capital
lists in whose plants forced labor is en-
ployed. Neville Chamberlain, director of
national service. has charge of the mass
levy.
All coal mines and British ships will be
nationalized; the details of this scheme
are being worked out. Sir Robert Fin
lay is the shipping controller.
The civil population will be rationed
by the issue of food tickets Luxuries
viii be prohibited, at least one and pos
sibly two meatless days will be enforced
every week. At the same time the home
production of food will be greatly in
creased by the cultivation OF waste land,
game preserves and great estates, with
the help of labor secured through the
mass levy. Lord Devonport, biggest of
wholesale grocers. has charge OF all
phases of the food problem. with the title
of food controller. A beginning has
already been made by limiting the
amount OF food that can be served by
restaurants.
All nonessential industries, which do not
maintain British credit abroad or serve
the war. are to be stopped, and the work
ers in them put into the army or some es-
sential trade.
The mass of labor secured for munitions
work and agriculture by the industrial
levy is expected to serve with the colors
unless they are skilled workmen, who are
absolutely irreplaceable. The govern
ment is apparently satisfied that enough
men are now in sight for the army to keep
the campaign of 1917 going at full steam
until the war Is won.
The government has taken measures to
protect merchantmen from submarines
by arming them and by other devices, and
great ship-building campaign will soon
be under way, so that no matter how sue
cessful the submarines may be the coun-
try cannot be starved out
Administration Young Yet.
The Lloyd George administration is
young yet, but there are two most hope
full signs already which are cited by
those who wish 1t well. The first and
most important is the spirit in which the
country is taking the announcement of
the mass levy and the food restrictions.
These two unheard of proposals were
greeted with almost unanimous applause
in all sections of society. 1t would seem
already demonstrated that Lloyd George
is right in contending that the British
people will cheerfully bear any burden
so long as 1t helps to win the war, and
that Asquith was wrong in insisting upon
long deliberation and investigation as to
whether public opinion would stand each
restriction of personal liberty and hard
ship that had to be imposed
The legend that the British people, un-
less the soil of Tngland were invaded,
would not bear such sacrifices as the
French have undergone has been shaken;
1t can only be said to have been exploded
when the hardships now foreshadowed
and welcomed are actually experienced
But no one who has felt the popular
pulse here since Lloyd George took office
has any doubt of his success in making
the country bear any burdens the govern
ment may think 1t necessary to impose.
Second Hopeful Sign.
The second hopeful sign is that
Lloyd George, as soon as his hands
clasped the supreme power, kicked
down the ladder by which he climbed
to his throne. His success in over
throwing Asquith so quickly was un-
doubtedly largely due to the North
cliffe press campaign. which has al
ready been described; 1t was widely
feared. therefore, that as premier he
would be controlled by Northclifre and
q irraSnnnSihla tot
up.
No sooner had Lloyd George COM
menced to form his cabinet and an
nounced that Balfour would be foreign
secretary and Lord Robert Cecil con-
tinued as undersecretary TO Balfour
and blockade minister, than the ex-
pected happened. The Northcliffe or
gans denounced Balfour and Cecil as
weaklings and incompetents. Cecil was
accused of feeding the Hun" and
references were made to the hidden
hn, NHa ~