The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-03-08
ENGIAND'S FOOD SITUATION.
Luxuries Must Go, on Account of Sc
rious Shortage OF Food.


mons in a speech lasting an hour and
a. half his programme for coping with
the problem of shortage of shipping
space.
The speech was serious and
grave effort. the premier giving his
audience little opportunity for en-
thusiasm and endeavoring to concen-
trate attention on the serious situa-
ton with which the nation is faced,
owing to the shortage of food stocks,
and the German submarine menace.
The premier's programme for deal
ing with the situation was under two
heads. the first to increase home food
production and the second the cur
tailment of non-victual imports.
Speeding Up the Farmer.
Under the first head Mr.. Lloyd
George outlined scheme for speed
ing up the farmer by guaranteeing
him good prices for his commodities
over period of years, inviting him
to pIow and SOW every inch of avail
able land. He announced that the
land owner would be actually forced
to cultivate his land.
The speeding up of the leisurely
British farm laborer, who has been
regarded the poorest paid laborer in
England, was provided for by the
premier by guaranteeing him min
imum wage for twenty-five shillings
per week, insteaC u fourteen to
eighteen shillings.
Mr., Lloyd George said he expected
to reduce the demands on cargo space
by several million tons. Foodstuffs,
of which 100000 tons were i'm
ported last year, will be cut down
nearly a million tons by Topping off
certain luxuries. Paper users must
get along with only half the present
supply, thus saving $4,000 tons.
Certain savings also will be effected
in the import of ore, which now
amounts to 100000 tons annually,
and in lumber, which is 100000
tons.
AT Lowest Tide.
The stocks of food in Great Bri-
tain at the present time are lower
than they ever have been before, Mr..
Lloyd George said. 1t was essential
for the life of the nation, he declared,
that every possible effort be made to
increase home production. The i'm
portation of apples, tomatoes and
fruits will be prohibited entirely.
The opinion was expressed by the
premier that food prices were not
likely to decrease for long time
after the war, inasmuch as Germany
would then be heavier purchaser
than ever before. Therefore, it was
safe to grant to the farmers mini
mum price over a definite period of
bring about immediate action.
For wheat the government will
guarantee the farmer the following
minimum prices per quarter: For
the present year, sixty shillings; for
1918 and 1919, ffty-fve shillings;
for 1920, 1921 and 1922, forty-fve
shillings.
Brewing Cut Down.
Brewing will be cut down to 10,-
100000 barrels annually. A similar
reduction will be made in the output
of spirits, effecting saving of 600,-
900 tons of foodstuffs.
The importation of aerated, min
eral and table waters will be pro-
hibited. Powers will be given to the
board of agriculture to compel land
owners to cultivate their ground.
The minimum wage for farm labor
announced by Mr.. Lloyd George,
twenty-five shillings week, repre-
sents an increase of so to so per
cent. over the present prevailing pay
ment.
The importation of paper, the pre-
mier announced, must be curtailed
by further 100000 tons annually.
The premier announced that the
government would guarantee a price
OF thirty-eight shillings, six pence,
for oats this year, thirty-two shil-
lings for the next two years and
twenty-four shillings for the three
following years The price of pota-
toes would be guaranteed for the
coming season only at six pounds a
ton.
Oranges and Bananas.
The only exceptions made in the
prohibition of fruit importations will
be in the case of oranges and ba-
nanas, in which the amount brought
in will be restricted % per cent. The
Samo restriction will ann1y to nutS