The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-10-14
BY l.. II. MURDOCH


war has been over for nearly year.,
Great Britain Will again 60 on ra-
ttons in the following important
foodstuffs: Meat, butter and sugar,
The nation has for some time already
endured coal rations.
In other words, in respect to mans
most important diet--meat-Great
Britain Is still in distress, az II Is in
tie Important fat~producing butter
and the heat producing sugar. To say
nothing OF the industrial and domes-
tic uecesSity--coal
II promises to be a dismal Winter
in Great Britain.
The one solace OF the British Isles
III the fat that All Fsurope is in sim
thar or worse distress
The British people are stunned by
the situation But. on the face Of II,
they are prepared to carry on" as
they did during the war. With this
exception---labor has had it's taste of
power---it refuses to accept the die
tun1 OF the government that "so-and-
50 10 necessary Ii wants to be
Shown"
Work ers Want Action.
The working people of Great Brit
afn---who are now for the first time
in history in the ascendency-feel
that they elected government
which should take care of these
things-that the men supposed to be
capable Of solving these problems
we're placed in power, and If they
cannot solve the problems they
should he turned out. In other
words, If people go hungry and cold
this Wtnter--without the inspiring
spirit Of patriotism srsta ned ny war
and the necessity Of national preser-
/ walton to cuthuse the m they Will
! turn against the government
The working people have already
| shown The trend OF their thoughts In
| important by collections for parlfa-
| ment Tho coalition candidates have
| ir-sefl defeated in fve out Of seven by
| electionS-~fhree times by indepen-
| dent Liberals and twice by Iaborites
| IN two cases they have held their
seats but by greatly reduced major
/ files
one Of tf1e most astrte politicians
| In Great Brftain-a former cabinet
| member and q man as Influential at
| least. as President Wilson IN the
| making or the peace terrus--told
| Universal Service the other day that
| II general election were held now
]
! be turned out of power.
| The principal obstacle in the way
Of political revolution rs the alb
seuce Of a man to lead it, and the
| fact that, for the moment no single
| party tx sufficiently strong to get an
absolute ma iorfty for itself or able
| To form an alliance which would give
1t a majority,
Northclifre Strongest Man
Lord Northcliffc, who "nlaIfe~
E4tckySf George srYF sffs gtrere,vrr~rrt "
still the greatest single force in Great
Britain. It is an open secret that
he has tired of Lloyd George and
that he has been casting about for a
man to take his place He has tried
Winston Churchill but Churchill has
failed 10 take"
The government ~ loose IT has
been unable to offer nv practical SO.
luton OF any of the problems con-
fronting the empire 1t is drifting
Expenses Double Revenue
| Although the war has been ovel
nearly year the government ex-
p"nses are fully $50 ooo. 900 a day
twice as much as the revenue.--al-
though taxation seems to have beer
imposed to the limit Of the people
Nara7'iN 70 pay and stili maintain tn
dustry.
This means that there VIII be s
| ieUcjt nf about 81 800 oo0, orN--wh{ch
! II course. must he met by further
loans The government nut over II.
victory loan during the enthnsia sn
, Follow ing the triumphant conclusio
, @f TIRE W ar with the expressed under
standing that 1t would retire fioatinf
ndebtedn az, but noa ting loans stfi
continue.
already at six shilfings per dozen. Ir
normal times that would be near ~
~ 30; under present exchange il i.
nearly 81 30 Butter can scarcely b
had at any price Neat--w o
price Is more or less government
controlled--is higher than in America
The government has Just announce
the official price Of milk ~ shilling
. a quart-~about twenty four cents il
normal American money.
The price OF bread rs still, govern
ment- controlled and the latest rat,
lis higher than ever before-nineteer
r cents per four-pouud loaf This I,
lower than the American price and f
only maintained by government sub
stdy.
Food Higher Than fn Army.
| Here is a schedule OF food prices
| | showing that peace food will cos
more in Great Britain than war foot
did---and that the work In gmen's pa
Increases will be quickly Jissipate,
& by the grocerys hill