New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-24
British Are Prepared
For New Sacrifices
Accept Food Restrictions as
Means to Victory and Are
Ready for More
By ARTHUR 5. DRAPER
by Gable to The Tribune

indicated in his speech In the HOUSE
of Commons this afternoon, the food
situation has reached crisis. In
the distance loom up the spectres of
compulsory food rations and con-
scription of labor-though the latter
is far off.
Britain faces the toughest prob
lem of the war. But the people have
at last been taken into the confidence
of the government; their eyes have
been opened to the true state OF al
fairs and they are prepared Tor
the struggle to come. In good
spirits they will accept all restric-
tions, will be perfectly willing to
make more and more sacrifices, pro-
vided it means the winning of the
war.
War Must Be Won
Everything is to be subordinated
to that; the war must be won.
To appreciate the full significance
of the grave warning contained In
the Premier's speech, recourse must
be made to some figures on British
shipping, import and tonnage. Be
fore the war Britain had some $500
ships of over a thousand tons, ag-
gregating 100000 tons. To this
amount must be added captured Ger
man ships and those built or bought
since hostilities commenced.
On the debit side, so far as the
civilian population is concerned,
must be set approximately 100000
tons used for the army, nearly
1000 900 tons used by Britain's
allies and nearly 100000 more
tons which the Germans claim to
have disposed OF.
After the frank speeches Of Lloyd
George and Sir Edward Carson, 1t IS
apparent why the economic situation
/ is considered extremely grave.
/ According to the latest hgures'
commodities amounting to 37,4OO,Ooo
tons. of which 100000 tons consti-
tuted foodstuffs. were imported by
! Great Britain last year.
To decrease the import tonnage
there must be strict economy in con-
sumption. intensive farming and the
reduction of non-essentials. Last
wear Great Britain imported, approx
mately, 100000 tons of iron and
other ores. Lloyd George SAYS this
cannot be reduced.
Economy in Paper
The Premier's announcement of the
reduction of paper distributed be-
tween the printing and packing trades
to $4,000 tons means the halving OF
their last years supply. Already the
papers have anticipated this move by
reducing the size or Increasing the
| price, or both.
In 1916 100000 tons of petroleum
were imported by Britain, and no
change has been announced In this
/ case.
Lloyd Georges speech indicates a
nrobabls reduction of % per cent IN
non-food imports, as compared with the
Ieis figures. His most drastic reduc-
| tions are aimed at imports OF food
/ stuffs. No American apples or mineral
/ fable waters, no tea from China, no
coffee from Java or Brazil, will be per-
mitted to enter the country. Many
| American manufactured articles are to
/ be placed under the ban.
American firms dealing in typewriters
and Photographic apparatus almost
monopolize the English market, but
have factories here The importation Of
! American boots and shoes, once heavy,
! has decreased greatly in the last
decade.
The output of beer is to be cut to
! one-third of that in normal times. IL
/ is estimated that this means the saw
| ing of 100000 bushels Of barley,
! 4OO, 900 bushels of maize and rice, 81
! 600. 900 pounds of sugar and l7,Ooo,oOO
/ pounds Of hops
Italy and Spain Affected
/ The % per cent reduction in the i'm
/ mort of oranges, bananas and nuts
| chiefly affects Italy and Spain, espe-
! cially the former, which found large
market in Germany long after the war
| started.
/ To encourage farming on the maxi
mum scale the government undertakes
10 guarantee the prices OF oats and
wheat for three years, and potatoes Tor
| the present year.
From time TO time it is probable that
additional commodities will be included
/ in the prohibited or restricted hsts'
| but as constituted now they will not
at once affect the people seriously.
! In the figures quoted earlier regard
/ ing import tonnage, neutral as well as
! British ships are included. During the
| first part Of last year neutral snippihs
suffered only lightly from submarine
| attacks; now a large part OF II Is tea
! up in port
Walter Runciman, following the
| Premier. sounded the keynote by his
| reference TO the Importance OF labors
| attitude henceforth. u will be the de-
| Gliding factor in agriculture and ship
| building and also in the question OF
! supply and demand, unless the govern
ment deserts voluntary for a compui-
sorry system Of rationing.
! The war triumvirate-Lloyd George,
| Miner and Curzon-still control the
situation, and they are prepared TO
| give a strong lead.
I 4 ~ Nnl