The War Loaf.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14969, 16 May 1914, Page 10

The War Loaf.

The reply given by the British Government to a question with respect to thrj shortage of food supplies in war time is not calculated to allay uneasiness on this vitally important matter. 'There

" was no ground for anxiety," yet the Imperial Defence Committee was considering tho matter. But why did not tho Committee consider, tho matter years ago and formulate- measures for emergencies? Mr Runciman said there

were always in hand supplies sufficient for six weeks. He may bo right, but a writer in the current "Pall Mail Magazine*' makes tho amount of food in hand just half of this, and the Royal Commission of ten years ago put the minimum supply oT wheat in the couutry at seven weeks. It is noteworthy that in the nino years since the Commission report-ed the most important

>k recommendation of fcho Committee, th k- establishment of a system of national ii in demnity against loss by capture, ha not been carried into effect. Undc 1- such a system Lloyd's would act a to agents for the Government in war iimi is and insure vessels according to thei a- usual procedure. But the rates woul ie remain as in peace, and the- Goverr. r- mont would undertake to make good t r>- Lloyd's all losses duly certified to hay si ] .been paid out for war captures. Thi 0 would encourage shippers to run th 5« risk of capture by the enemy, aud s It tend to keep down prices. The neces 2- sity for making some provision of thi it kind will be seen when it is rememberei •° what would happen if war broke ou is and prices soared upward. The rise I) 5S prices would be coincident with an cnor * r moiifc increase in unemployment, owini 10 Jto the dislocation of internationa £•■ I trade. Now if so many people i: )r time of peace are near or below th< >f hunger line, what would be the effec ,r of war on the- masses? It would pro d bably be so disastrous that no existing ? - organisation for the relief of destitu c tion could copo wi'.h the situation. Th( ° populace, maddened by hunger, *nighi c commit, excesses, which, tho Governc ment, with most of its troops engaged • in war. would be powerless io check, 1 The convulsion produced by famine ° prices might bo so grave that tbo Go- , yernment would be compelled to make pence on any terms. Has the Government drawn up any comprehensive plan for an immediate extension of tho Poor Law machinery in time of emergency, so that the credit of tho State could bo used to keep down prices to the consumer!-' As tho writer in the "Pall Mall" remarks, machinery called upon in normal times to deal with some 2 per cent, of the population cannot suddenly bo made to deal with 30 per cent. Tho Government, uo doubt, are relying on the ability of the Navy not only to keep the command of tho sea, but also to keep open the trado routes. Considering tho immense issues at stake, however, no reasonable precautions ought to bo omitted. Those who think all the ills of life can be abolished by legislation will no doubt be delighted at the news that a Bill to abolish tipping (except to servants, in private houses) has passed the second reading in the Canadian Senate. For our part wo doubt whether the Bill will over become law, but if it should pass wo fear that tho tipping evil will flourish very much as it did before. Lt seems as if human nature must first bo changed, and no legislative body has yet succeeded in that exceedingly difficult achievement. Tho root principle on which tho evil complained of is based is human selfishness. So long as the well-to-do are prepared to pay to be served first, and to receive extra attention, they will always find that such things are to bo bought. "We havo no doubt that waiters and others supposed to be benefited by tho tipping habit really suffer from it in tho end.. The tips received arc taken into account in fixing tho rates of wages, and in many hotels in Europe and America waiters, instead of receiving any wages at all, actually pay for the privilege) of serving in a position hi which they are sure of being liberally treated in the matter of tips. There are numerous hotelkeepers who would bo glad to abolish the system, and many of them havo tried to stop it, but without success. Everyone Mho has travelled on tho Continent will bo able to recall instances. The present writer stayed on two occasions, separated by an interval of some years, at tho principal hotel at Nouhausen,'.overlooking the Falls of the Rhino. On the first occasion there were placards in every room stating that the servants | "were paid full wages, and were not allowed to receive tips. It struck the visitor that, speaking generally, the service was slow and inefficient, except in the case of a few favoured guests, ■who were treated with promnt attention. It was impossible to resist the conclusion that these, were tipping "under tho rose." At the second visit all the placards had been removed, and "tipping" was again in full swing. On enquiry ifc was found that tho system had broken down simply becau.se it was found impossible to enforce it on tho guests. At the present time a. gallant attempt is being made at the hotels and restaurants of tho Lyons Company in London to abolish tipping. The guests are warned that any sen-ant found taking a present will bo instantly dismissed. These hotels and restaurants havo become immensely popular, and so far as the hotels aro concerned tho accommodation is taxed to tho utmost. In tho restaurants the supervision is so close and strict that it is probable very little tipping is clone. It is stated, however, that it is not absolutely extinct in tho hotels. Regular visitors find it possible to hand over a little douceur without being detected, and seem to thiuk that it pays the donor in tho long run. Apart from this, whero extra trouble has been given and a waiter or chambermaid has been more than usually cheerful and obliging, there does seem a sort of general compulsion to acknowledge such, services in the.customary rray. The story of the capture of Tampico by Villa will be bitter reading for President "Wilson. The President has apparently put his money on the Constitutionalists, counting on Carranza being the next President of Mexico. But the. indications are that Carranza is rapidly receding into the background, and that Villa is the man. Most of the success of tho Constitutionalist cause during the last few weeks has been due to his leadership, and he has now captured the important stronghold of Tampico. Villa is the man, but trhat a man! The story of the capture is one of sheer butchery. If his past is any criterion. Villa does not care anything for Constitutionalism., but only for Villa, and he is not the man to see Carranza reap tho fruits of victory if he thinks lie can get them for himself. The outcome of all this waiting on the part of the United States will probably bo that Mr Wilson will be faced by Villa in the place of Huerta, by a brigand instead of a usurper. Mr Wilson is probably sorry now that he did not recognise Huerta. He will probably be more sorry before he has done with Villa.

It sometimes happens that in Xc Zealand a public buildine is used U the transaction of business for som time before a Minister formally declare it open. The samo -thing seems to b happening in tbo Panama Canal, cable message to-day states that trafE i» now proceeding through the Can a and that though it is understood tha the vessels are making experiment; trips, nothing remains to prevent eve warships making use of the waterway This would be a tame opening for sue a gigantic engineering achievement with its immense possibilities as regard trade and politics, and doubtless Amen cans will bo disappointed that the firs vessels to traverse it did not do so amii the pomp and ceremony of a n.itioua and international celebration. But. o course, with an undertaliing like th Panama Cap.il. engineers would no dream of leaving the tirst actual tia verso of the waterway to the officia opening day. any more than the man agement of a now tramway installatioi would face the official starting of tin system without first sending cars ove the lines. In the almost certain event o prolonged trouble in Mexico, scores o vessels, both warships and cargo carriers, may have used the 'Canal be fore President Wilson goes down then to "inaugurate"' the tremendous -work There is a very suggestive passage ii an article in tho latest issue of the offi cial organ of the Rod Feds, and Social democrats. Tho'writer t-ays: —'Thirinj tho twenty years of the Liberal-Labom alliance, 'labour had no voice in th< policy of the Government. In fact the Liberal Government had no poliej at all for the last five years of its existence. I don't want to see the Massey Government secure a, majority next election., but an alliance with the Liberal Party would bo too high a price to pay, and too great a. sacrifice tc make, to keep them out." A large section of tho Hod Fods. and Social-De-mocrats, it is pretty plain, cannot be persuaded' that the "Liberals" are honest enough to justify either an alliance with them, or relianco upon them. At the best, they hope that diey may be able to hold the balance of power, in which ease, if tho "Liberals," by any strange- chance, secured a narrow coalition majority, tho Red Feds, would have a very decisive voice indeed in the "Liberal" policy. Tho "Liberals" themselves make no secret of tho fact that their only hope of surviving the elections, even as a respectably-sized Opposition, lies in the co-operation with them of Mr Semple's party. For otir ]Mtrt wo do not doubt that if it were to happen that Sir J. G. Ward were., with the aid of the Soeial-Democrate, to command a majority in the House, he would ho ready to giro tho Red Feds, anything they ask.