The Washington herald., 1918-01-24
BRITONS LOYAL
IN WAR CRISIS
Holland Says People Obey
All Conservation Orders
Without Complaining.

however great the 0lScOmIOrl
and even embarrassment which
have been occasioned by the dras-
tic order OF DR.. Garfield which for
time suppresses all industry and
creates nine Monday holidays may
be. nevertheless in England the
people are submitting in a different
way to restraints and control fully
as drastic as are those reflected by
DR.. Garfield's order.
Geoffrey Butler, of London, who
represents the British government
in the United States in matters ap-
pertaining to fuel and food supply,
and who is the immediate repre-
sentative of vfscount Northcliffe.
found time this morning to set
forth briefly some of the restric-
tions which people OF England have
as cheerfully as possible submitted
to. These do not involve any sus-
pension of industry, nor are any
holidays named, but they do in
volve certain restrictions which If
put in force in the United States
might for a time occasion a greater
complaint than any that have been
caused by Garfield's order.
Mr.. Butler spoke, first of all. of
petrol or, as We know it gasoline.
In the United States in 1917 ap-
proSimately 350,0O0,00O barrels OF
oil were produced and marketed.
We are not particularly concerned
about this important commodity,
but England is compelled to reply
upon the United States for her sup
plies Therefore restrictions were
placed upon all kinds of vehicular
trafic dependant upon petrol or
gasoline, but these restrictions af-
fected especially motor cars. The
people of England who owned auto
mobiles in considerable measure
abandoned the use of them. even
before restrictions were placed
upon them The owners gave up
their cars. glad to have them used
for ambulances or for necessary
business purposes. At last the Brit
ish authorities placed a complete
embargo upon the use of motor cars
for any but national or certain
kinds of business purposes.
Very strictly Interpreted.
These business purposes were by
the authorities strictly interpreted,
so that within a year there has been
an enormous reduction of cars, ac-
cording to Mr.. Butler. formerly used
by the large London shops for trans
porting food and other articles from
London into the country. Inevitably
these restrictions have caused not a
little hardship, since in many of the
smaller villages food is very scarce,
not being easily obtafnable in the
local shops. reliance having been here
tofore placed upon the large London
shops. which had excellent facilities
for distributing food.
Great Britain is one Of the largest
coal producers in the world. but it
has been Inevitable that some part
of her coal supply be exported to
Italy. For this and other reasons
the English authorities found its nee
essary to perfect very drastic and
accurate restrictions, which establish
coal rations as there are today be-
ing distributed in London. In order
to establish accurately the proper coal
ration, householders were required to
give particulars of the number of
rooms in the house, and then, hav-
ing done this. to turn over the state
ment to the coal merchant, who was
expected to execute the order to Inc
best Of his ability. The people have
been earnestly urged by the con-
troller not to ask for the full amount
of coal allowed unless that be neces-
sary to met their requirements.
In this way it has been possible to
tabulate the coal ration If a house
has four rooms, then the ration is two
hundredveight week; il seven rooms.
the householder is allowed a ton per
month; il from eleven to twelve rooms
he is allowed one and one-half tons a
month. and If more than fifteen rooms,
two and one-half tons a month.
People Patriotic.
There is. however. no guarantee that
the rations are absolutely insufficient
for keeping up the large houses or for
heating great rooms in the manner
that has been customary with the
well to do in Great Britain for at least
100 years. Nevertheless, the people are
uncomplaining; they are making the
best of the situation.
The plan involves also comprehen-
siye control by the State over the en-
tire supply Of coal. At this time the
British government is much occupied
with experiments and tests which, IL
they are satisfactory, will considerably
increase the supply OF petrol, for the
government, aided by men of science
and the leaders in the industry, are
now perfecting plans whereby petrol
can be extracted from coal and shale
all over Great Britain.
This is an extraordinary and unex-
pected development of the conditions
that now prevail in Great Britain.
Since before the European war began
no one would have thought of securing
petrol from coal or from shale in COM
mercial amounts.
Nou IL NAV he that a. q ,az,,I+ ~,