The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-30
GREAT BRITAIN IS
CONFRONTED BY YEAR
OF GREAT DIFFICULTY
niy the Associated Press


than they would have thought pos
sibc a few months ago
A new world III for heroes to live
in" which was an idea OF the war has
not yet been fully attained at homc
and international problems which
brought on the war still are hanging
over the future in an invincible faith
in the nations ability to conquer all
troubles.
The most cheerful optimist Of all is
Premier Lloyd George. Under the
leadership Of his unflagging faith that
everything will work out for the best,
the clouds Of despondency, pictured by
the newspapers as thickest when the
Chancellor Of the EXchequer declared
that the nation was heading for bank
ruptcy, says Hritons have vsbly
lifted
A foremost cause for confidence is
the steady commercial revival and ces.
sation Of l@pur troubles, which Rrt-
ons hope viii continue. These give
ground Tor prediction by optimist5 that
Great Britain viii return 10 normal
conditions sooner than other great Etl.
ropeun countries which engaged in the
war
Manufacturers in many lines have
/ business booked far ahead. The cotton
trade, one of the basic British indus
! tries, is said to have all the orders it
can fill for the next five yeare.
Shipbuildcrs say they are in the
same happy condition. They have yet
! to be convinced that America will be
able to take away the former British
! supremacy in the carrying trade. They
/ base their confidence on the belief that
while the British are a seafarlng race,
| the Americans are not
Apparently they believe that Am
erican ships built in the war are dcs-
tined 10 be bought eventually by dis
| tincly maritime nations. Their CON
fidence however, is not iron.clad. Lord
mchcapc told the shareholders Of one
Great Britain steamship company
that, if the American government
turned over its ships TO private own.
ers, Great Britain need not be afraid,
but if the American people We're to be
taxed to build UP their mercantile ma
rnc, the outlook for the shipping in
dustry in these islands was nothing
but rosy.
British bankers and merchants look
forward to u great increase OF busi.
ness with South America in 1920. They
expect to hold their pre-war customers
and to gain much Of what Germany
lost. They profess 10 discount the
prospect thar the United States will
acquire control Of the South Ameri.
can field.
Many nations are anxious to buy
from Great Britain. How some or
them can pay is a problem. The de-
cline in exchange rates had a depress-
ing effect on American trade but eX.
change with France, Italy and smaller
markets is favorable to Great Britain.
Against these reasons for business
confidence stand two handicaps in the
form of financial and labor conditions.
The national debt appears appalling to
the British public but optimists argue
that it is smaller than was the debt
after the Napoleonic wars, measured
by the country's wealth and potential
producing power.
The question Of clearing the decks
by some form Of a capital levy is still
at the front and may be one Of the
burning political questions Of the year.
The decentralization OF mines and
railways Is another British problem
and with it are linked questions Of
hours and wages which confront all
alike and which England !
shares with America. 1t has been |
said that Great Britains recovery af !
ter the Napoleouic wars was possible /
through underpaid labor but British /
employers DO not expect this 10 be /
among the assets Of the future. On |
the contrary, many industrial leaders |
say British industry facing a ques-
ton whether the steady increase in /
wages may not become dangerous
handicap in competition with other
Labor has other prospective BENEFITS
in the promise OF Premier. Lloyd |
Georges great scheme for building
workmen's homes through
out the country, which Is just begin
ming to materialize and in plans for
insurance against unemployment which !
have not yet developed. The prin-
,ipc Of the latter plan is that all men ,
lut Of work through no fault of their !
lwn shall be assured of u respectable
living as right, without any faint
If pauperism.
ireland still is regarded as one OF
The governments most difficult and
threatening domestic problems. Early
'orecas.s OF the new Home Rule Bin
net nothing but opposition from all
irish factions. The Sim Fem, with
1 majority Of the Irish votes, threaten
I'd 10 boycott the scheme as it boy /
outs the British parliament
India and Egypt are Icing weighed
n the balance with hopes ara fears as
intense as those centered upon Ire
and, India will Sc in tie new year
he beginning of the program of Ed
vim samuel Montagu for new meas
Ires Of aelf-goycrnment Establish
ncnt Of a protcctorate over Egypt IS
now being resisted with much the
anne bitterness and same methods as
he uish resisted the present admin
stration in Ireland,
The new year is expected to be vita!
or the fortunes Of the army and navy.
Me present plan IS to reduce the army
ext year 10 virtually its prc.war has.
S. The navy Is at n critical stage.
Experts upon whom the country relied
n tho past. notably Baron Fisher,
ormerly first sea lord, and Rear Ad-
niral Sir Percy Scott arc for scrap
ling tho old establishment. They
eclare that big battleships are obso'
,te, that submarines and aircraft have