ECONOMICS OF WAR.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15750, 17 November 1916, Page 3

ECONOMICS OF WAR.

LEATHER FOE THE STATE. (FROM otrit OWN CORBESTONnENT.) LONDjOX, October 6. For some time past there has been a. steady rise in the price of .boots and shoes, owing to the demands of the Army, but. prices arc going to mount, still higher bccause of a further commandeering of leather by Army Council order. The terms of the order are technical, and almost, incomprehensible to the uninitiated, but the gist is that the Government, having already requisitioned the heavier qualities of leather, is now taking much lighter qualities as well, and it is evident that the effect must be to make it- more difficult for civilians to obtain boots of. any stoutness. Repairs are likely to bo more frequent, and there may t>c a larger use of substitutes for leather than has hitherto been the case. For tho moment the effects of th e new order may not be apparent, as the factories have large supplies of boots in stock. Apparently tile only kinds exempted ai>. glace kid and patcut leather for uppers, and what is known as semi-chrome tanned leather for soles. Th c last is used extensively in cheaper quality boots. MARKED INCREASE IX REVENUE. ' During thc past quarter the revenue of the Cnited Kingdom has been £91,239,901; for the past six months it amounts to £463,922,899, and for thc corresponding period last year it was £102,866,764, thus showing a net increase of £61,056,13-5. Thc following figures ghow the amount received under the various heads during the last six months and a. comparison with the corresponding peViod last year: — Increase. £ £ Customs •• 32,113,C00 11,1150,000 Stamps .. ... 3.475,000 139,000 Land Tax .. .. 40,000 • 20,000 Property and Income Tax 34,805,000 18,0*20,000 Excess profits duty .. 31,385,000 31,283,000 Land value duties .. 111,000 60,000 Postal Service .. 11,300,000 1,310,000 Telegraph Service .. 1,600,000 70,000 Telephone Service .. 3,100,000 20,000 Crown La.nds 2)0,000 30,000 Suez Canal shares .. 2,381.011 1,777.*240 Miscellaneous .. 2,9!H,85S 1,086,895 SOMETHING WRONG. British paper-makers are rightly indignant that while they are having to close down their mills for want of orders, certain classes of paper made in Sweden are coming in in large quantities. Sweden, it seems, will not send British makers any pulp, but it, is allowed to send us largo quantities of paper, using up freight and taking money out of this country. It is a great mistake to say that the paper we get from Sweden is of a sort that is not generally made here. A good deal of it can be- made here, and for the bulk of the remainder substitutes can be supplied. A reference to thc official statistics regarding imports of paper from Sweden shows that while there has been a decrease in white varieties, the paper used for printing and writing, there has been a largo increase in brown payer, which- is used 'for packing and wrapping. In both cases thc increase in prico is very great. In January, 1914, Swedish white paper cast £12 4s per tori; in January, 1916, the. price was £17 4s; while browu varieties which cost £'I*2 18s per ton in 1914 ar P now £20 16s per ton. The increase in the average price per ton means that in tho first seven months of this year Sweden has obtained for manufactured paper sold to this country £1,252.086, as compared with a total of £650,5-10 in the first seven months of 1914.

THE KEYSTONE OF NATIONAL PROSPERITY. Mr H.-Pagc Croft, M.P., has been delivering a vigorous speech 011 national organisation, and ho says that, the wholo fabric of Empire must be organised on a national foundation. Production means work, and the greater tho production 'tho more work is treated; the more work created the greater the demand for labour; and the I greater the demand the higher the price paid for that labour. Greater production means a higher level of civilisation, and a bettor standard of living results. If all were agreed that production is the keystone of national prosperity, then everyone should got to "work -without further delay io preserve, and increase; national production. When sonic two to throe million people ecascd war work, and some- four million men returned to the market of labour, it is obvious that unless our statesmanbbip makes a mighty• effort there will be grave distress in the.country, underselling of labour, and depression of wages. There is only one way out—the State mast step boldly in ajid say that its first concern is to pre?erv c ill our old industries for our workers by a btrong scientific national tariff, and. further, that all our new industries must be transformed to meet the national productive needs. Shell factories must become factories of peace, the makers of ammunition must be encouraged to make steel rails, the makers of machine-guns must make motor-cars and bicycles, and so on. There must be no fatal panse. The sword must be auickly turned into the ploughshare the day war ceased. Imperial co-operation is vorv important; a committee from the Oversea Dominions should be called now. to s«e i° "fribat way the various part:-, of the Empire could help each other to meet the numerous problems. APPIiAIf TO HOUSEHOLDERS. Tho vital necessity for economy in

coal is the subject of an urgent_ appeal to householders made by the National War Savings Committee, and the public i s instructed that- economy in fuel and light should be regarded as a part of opr effort to win the war. For martial purposes coal is an asset of supreme, value. The requirements of the Navy, the munition works, and the factories engaged in the production of war material are constantly increasing; the needs of our Allies are as urgent as our own: and the maintenance of exports to neutral countries was never of greater importance. No substantial increase of output can bo expected during: the coming winter, and there is only i>ne way in which the exigencies of the situation can be met —all householders must, restrict their purchases t/> the lowest possible minimum. For the present, every ton of coal saved means: The saving of a day's work for a miner for services of national importance. : a direct saving of money could be lent to the nation _ for the purposes of the war: an increase of power to help our Allies; an improvement of foreign and a strengthening of our position in relation to neutrals.

QUESTIONS FOR THE SUGAR COMMISSION •"Is it .inst ?" Many times over this question is asked in a leaflet which has just been issued by a large trading company with branches throughout tho Kingdom. It is a compilation of searcliins criticisms of the way in which the Sugar Commission is handling the sugar problem. "Is it just, that the Sugar Commission should give a monopoly of sugar supplies to those dealers who sold sugar in 1310, and gave permission to monopolists to make the sale of sugar dependent <Jn the purchase of other goods, ou v, hicli uo maximum price it, fixed? Is it just that the trade of the largest firms of British margarine makers, who pay more than £1,000,000 a. year 'o the Government, in income-tax, should be taken from them and benefit Dutch margarine makers—at a time when Holland has transferred her cheese, and meat exports from England to Germany? Ts it just that the British trade' of the Dutch margarine makers should be nearly trebled since, the war, and (hat the nuts, from British colonies should be allowed to go to tho Dutch margarine factories in Holland?" It. is stated that these nuts produce the. cattle-feeding cakep which feed the Dutch cattle and enable Holland to send more meat to food our enemies. "The fact that the Sugar Commission did forbid the sale of sugar boing made dependent on the purchase of tea- goes to show that they realised the injustice of declaring a maximum price for sugar and tho sale to be made dependent on the obligatory purchase of other articles at unrestricted prices." If obligatory tea would be unjust, why should nob obligatory margarine, be unjust?

CONTRACTS FOE. WAR MATERIAL. Among a series of new • regulations under the Defence of the Realm Act, issued as an Order-in-Council, is the following important, announcement with reference to the furnishing of information to Government Departments by firms contracting for supply of war material: — "The Admiralty or Army Council or the Minister of Munitions may by order require any person engaged in the production, manufacture., purchase, sale, distribution, transport, storage, or shipment, of any war material, food, forage, or stores of any description or of any article required for or in connexion with the production thereof to give sucli particulars as to his business as may be verified as they may direct, and if any person fails to comply with the order or with any requirement made thereunder ho shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations, and if such person is a. company every director and officer of tho company shall also be guilty of an offence against these, regulations unless he proves that, the contravention took place .without his knowledge or consont-.'

DEFENCE OF REALM LOSSES. > Tho principle upon' which the Defence of the Realm Losses Commission has worked in paying compensation to British subjects who have suffered damage by the specific interference of the Government, is explained in their first report. The Commission was appointed in March. 1915, and up to September Ist, 1916, had heard 1094 applications. and had awarded lump sum payments of £276,965/ against claims for approximately £652,779, and periodical payments at the rate of £191,857 a vear against claims for approximately £355,694 a year. Emphasis is placed upon the decision of the Commission to make no awards where loss had arisen through the enforcement of any order of general application. relieLonly being given to people whose property or business "had been the subject of a direct and particular interference such as between subjects would have given cause of action for damages." For instance, no awards were made in the following eases:—Business stopped by prohibition of photography in a certain area. Pleasure boats forbidden in certain waters.

Imposition of pilotage foes upon fishing vessel owner, this course becoming necessary by reason of the. exigencies of national defence and not for the special protection of the fishing industry.

Disturbance of applicant's sporting rights on a certain estate by oroction of a rifle range. When the ioss was merely that' if pleasure or amenity no award was. made. Cases are also cited where the. embargo on onions and the acquisition of frozen meat from New Zealand by the Government caused losses to merchants which gave no title to compensation.