The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-07-28
ENGLAND'S WAR DEBT.
EMPIRE THUS FAR HAS SPENT
ABOUT $4,000, 100000.
BOnar law Asks for And Gets Largest
Credit Yet Asked OF Commons.

London. July 24.-Moving in the
house of commons today a vote of
credit for 650,0OO,OO0 pounds. the
largest war credit yet asked, bring
ing Great Britain's expenditure to the
colossal total of 5,292,O00, 900, An
drew Bonar Law, chancellor of the
exchequer. gave startling figures of
the amazing growth of Great Brit
aims financial burden in the world
war, and emphasized from the finan
cial viewpoint alone the great i'm
portance Of the United States entering
the war as insuring that the allies
would not be deprived of victory
through lack of money.
The house was astonished to learn
that Great Britain's advances to the
allies and dominions had already
reached the huge total of more than
1,OO0,o0,000 pounds. The daily war
expenditure, although it shows i'm
provement, still approaches 1000, 600
pounds daily and exceeds the budget
estimate by 100000 pounds daily.
Compared the last n days with the
first 35 days of the financial year the
expenditure showed a reduction of q
million daily
Expressing disappointment at the
necessity Of such large advances to
the allies. the chancellor referred to
the British standpoint of unselfish
generosity and explained that the
cost of all the supplies for the allies
produced in Great Britain during the
war had been betrayed by England.
In an interesting reference to the
United States Mr.. Bonar Law said:
When America entered the strug-
gle, we realized that a great change
had come over the allies financial
strength. President Wilson was slow.
and, in my judgment. rightly slow, In
bringing his country to the vortex of
this terrible war. but having come In,
ne has shown he is determined to
throw the whole weight of the nation
he heads into the scale. am sure
sszs'spre sssasss-as6 tsss sf<ak aA3SS$a6<
represents will deal in this matter
with the same spirit Of generosity or
rather of realization Of what the whole
issue means and that we can rely ON
receiving i'm the United Sttaes re-
sources which are necessary to pay for
supplies of all kinds required by the
allies in America
1t is an open secret we had spent
so freely Of our resources that those
available in America had become
nearly exhausted when our great ally
| entered the struggle"
After Reginald McKenna, former
chancellor of the exchequer, spoke.
warming the government Of the alb
solute necessity of curtailing all un-
necessary expenditure to prevent the
dangerous imitation Of prices. the
general debate had no great interest.
the main feature being strong criti-
cism by John Dillon and others of the
Saloniki expedition. Mr.. Dillon. re-
ferring to rumors that Servia was In
tending to make a separate peace
with Austria, and demanding that
the government say whether Servia
was to be deserted, declared that the
British army in Saloniki had been
demoralized by Is months of inaction
in pestilential surroundings.
Lord Robert Cecil minister of
blockade. characterized Mr.. Dillon's
charge as absolutely untrue. He said
there was no intention whatever of
receding from the pledges for the full
restoration of and reparation for Ser
via. While declining to reveal the
governments plans he said he would
restate its war aims.
Austria is not our chief enemy"
he said. Germany is, and must he
our chief enemy. The broad princi-
pies we are fighting for are these:
First, that we should stand by our
allies; second, we are fighting for q
stable settlement. for a sound and
satisfactory peace. not a conquest Of
more dominion but on some national
principle as far as might be which
would secure that settlement. Whom
arrived at, it should he free from
change and alteration in the future.
'Personally. I wish to see how far
President Wilson's proposals can ne
made practicable for barriers against
future wars. The governments dnsire