The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-02-24

AEOm rage OnGD
 Therefore, it was safe to grant to the 1 farmers minimum price over a definite period of time, which was the only way
 to bring about immediate action.
 TO STOP IMPORT OF FRUITS The importation of apples, tomatoes and
 fruits will be prohibited entirely
 For wheat the government will guar
 antee the farmer the following minimum
 prices per quarter:
 For the present year, 60 shillings; for
 1918 and 1919, 55 shillings; for 1920, 1921 and
 1922 45 shillings.
 Brewing will be cut down to 10000. 600
 will be made in the output of spirits, af-
 fecting saving of 60o.oO0 tons of food
 stuffs.
 The importation of aeriated. mineral
 and table waters will be prohibited
 PRICE OF OATS The premier announced that the govern ment would guarantee a price of 3S shl- lings pence for oats this year: 32 shl- lings for the next two years, and "A shil- lings for the three following years. The price of potatoes would be guaranteed for the coming season only at e6 a ton The only exceptions made in the pro- hipilioil Ol IIult lIlpOTldtlOHS VIII De Tn the cases of oranges and bananas, in which the amount brought in will be re- stricted 25 per cent. The same restric- tion will apply to nuts. Canned salmon importations will be reduced 50 per cent The importation of foreign tea. coffee and cocoa is prohibited, and even the amount of India tea which may be brought in, is reduced
 The premier said it was expected to ! -t-s- foodstuffs.
 IMMEDIATE ACTION The premier said these restrictions would be imposed immediately and steps would be taken to prevent spec ulative buying. If the whole pro- gramme was carried out. he said "I | honestly say we can face the worst the enemy can do."
 "I want the country to know our food stocks are low" he said, due not to the submarine but bad har- vests. It is essential that We increase production and the government pro poses to guarantee the farmer a min- imum price for a definite period and a minimum wage of 25 shippings weekly will be fixed for the laborer. . The premier said 1t was necessary to get as much work as possible out of the shipyards. Six million four hundred thousands tons of timber had been imported and if this was to be tIved the problem must be dealth with. The French government had placed two forests at the disposal of Great Britain and he was afraid France
 must be asked for further sacrifices. The next heaviest item of import Is iron ore. Regarding this item the pre- mier said
 We are importing millions of tons, but the importation cannot be dimin-
 ished unless more iron ore is found in our country. There Is plenty of low grade ore, however, in this country, and If the supply of labor can be aug | mented we can increase enormously our output The saving of tonnage would be large put unfortunately it would come late in the year." Farms can increase even now by hundreds O. thousands of tons for this year" said Premier Lloyd George, "the foo dsIpplies of the country. If all food supplies of the country If all siderable quantity of tonnage will De saved. but future tonnage Is urgently needed. The French ambassador has been here begging for more ships and the Italian ambassador has just left after making the same request We need an immediate and substantial saving of tonnage. Let us come down
 rutblessly on imports which are not essential. It is idle to suggest that we who are comfortable at home should not be prepared, to surrender the things unnecessary" The premier also announced that the importation of books, periodicals and other printed matter would be pro- hibited entirely.