The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-01-07
ENGLAND HAS
HER PROBLEMS
Many Difficulties Presented But
High Cost of Living is the
Most Absorbing

J
Great Britain look forward to a new
Year of financial and political diff
cu!ties but with grearer optimism than
they would have thought possible a
few months ago
A new world fit for heroes to live
in" which was an ideal Of the war has
not Yet been fully attained at home
and international problems which
brough: on the war still are hanging
over the head of the nation. Yet the
British people are trying to face 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 unfiagging faith that
everything" will work out for the best,
The. clouds OF dcspondnncy. pictured
by tho newspapers rs 1hicEest when
the Chancellor Of the Exchequer de-
clared that The nation was heading
tor bankruptcy, say Britons have visi-
bly, lifted.
a foremost cause for confidence is
the stead. commercial revival and
cessation Of labor troubles, which
Rritons hope will continue These
give ground for prediction by opti-
mists that Great Britain will return
to .noi.nlal conditions sooner than
other great European countries which
engaged in the war.
cIanufactur.rs n many lines have
: business booked far ahead. The cot
ton trade, one of the basic British
industries, is said to have all the or
ders it can fill for, the next five years.
Shipbuilders say they are in the
same happy condi1ion. They have yet
20 be convinced that America will be
able to take away the former Brit
ish supremacy in the carrying trade.
They base their confidence on the be-
lief that while the British are a sea-
fariug race The Americans are not.
| Apparently they believe that Amer
lean ships built in the war are -destin-
ed to be bought eventually by dis
tinctly maritime nations. Their con-
fidence, however, is not lron-clad.
Lord Incheape told the shareholders
Of one Great Britain steamship COM
pany that. if the American govern
ment turned over its ships to private
owners, Great Britain need not be
afraid, but il the American people
were to be taxed to build up their
mercantile marine, the outlook for the
! shipping Industry in these islands was
nothing but rosy.
British bankers and merchants look
forward to a great increase Of busl-
n+>,H f,,
expect to hold their pre-war custom.
ers and to gain much Of what Ger
many lost They profess to discount
the prospect that the United States
will acquire control Of the. South
american field.
Many nations are, anxious to buy
from Great Britain. How some OF
them can pay is a problem. The de-
cline in exchange rates had & depres-
sing effect on American trade but ex-.
change: with France. Italy and smaller
markets is favorable to Great Brit,
ain
. ga;ast these. reasons for business
coniiticilr,: STANG two fa,llicaps N the
sorIa IT financial and l.feor cond ditions.
Tic natio.al deti appears. appalling to
he british public but optimists argue
that it is smaller than was the debt
after the Napoleonic wars. measured
by tie countrys' wealth and poten-.
eial producing power. So. :.
The question of clearing the decks
Is SONS. form Of 3 capital levy is still.
~. .ti,e front and may be one II the
burning: political Questions OF the
year. :.......t..,.
The NATURALIZATION 81 mines and
railways IS another British problem
a.ha with. it are linked questions OF.
hours anil wages. which confront all
industries alike and which England.
shares. with America. 1t has been
s;a;a .tnat Great sBritain's recovery af-
rer the NaDoleonic wars was possible
through .underpaid labor cut British
employers do not expect this to be
among the assets of rhe future. On
the contrary. man! industrial leaders
sly Jl1ri,ish Industry is facing u 4aues-
ton whether 1hs. steady increase IN
wages may not become dangerous
handicap in competition with other
countries.
Labor has other prospective bene--
its il. the promise OF premier Lloyd
Georges great scheme for building
comfortable workmen's homes
,lll:ougi1out the .co,tnsrs'. which is just
beginning to m@lerialize, and in plans
for insurance against unemployment
which have not yet developed. The
principle Of the latter is that all men
out Of work through no fault Of their
own shall be assured Of respectable
living as a right, without any ta1nt Oh
pauperism.
Ireland Still is regarded as one of
the governments most difficult and
threatening domestic problems. Early
forecasts of the new Home Rule bill
met nothing but opposition from all
Irish factions The Sim Fein. with a
majority Of the Irish votes, threaten
end to boycott the scheme as it boy
colts the British Parliament.
India and Egypt are being weighed
lin the balance with hopes and fears
as intense as those centred upon Ire