BRITAIN TO BE PUT ON WARTIME FOOTING

Chronicle (Levin), 7 August 1947, Page 5

BRITAIN TO BE PUT ON WARTIME FOOTING

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter,

FuII Mobiiisation of Nation's Economic Resources

Copyright)

Received Wednesday, 7.0 p.m. LONDON, August 6. Under a Bill to extend the purposes of tlie Suppi.es and Services (Transitional Powers) Act of 1945, presented in the Commons by Mr. Attlee, the Government will have povvei to direcl labour within industry or from one industry to another, replace inefficient. managements in any industry by Government nommees (meaning in effeet the taking over of the business), divert invest- * inents into certain channels and prevent them going into others, says the Daily Express political correspondent. The Bill also • gives the Government power to eontrol hours and conditions of work and even rates of pay, send supplies of raw materials to certain industries and kee]) them from others, and oi'der goods to he exportcd to given markets and prevent tneni going to otheis less profitabJe to the nation. . Tlie correspondent says that in all cases the Government will be the arbiter and will implement its decision by Orders-in-Council which will have the full force oi law as soon as they are publishcd. The Bill presented by Mr. Attlee yesterday relleets tlie gravity with which the Government now regards the country's economic crisis. says the Times in a leader. Its immediate intention is sim])ly to extend the scope of the Supplies and Services (Transitional Powers) Act of 1945 so that the powers over the national eeonomy alreadv possessed by the Government, will he applicable to the [iresent eruergency but. the Times says, it inevitably ealls to mind the still wider measure introdueed in May 1940, also by Mr. Attlee lmt on behalf of a Coalition Government, requiring all persons "to place theniselves, their services and their proporty at the disposal oi" Ilis Majesty." Then the purpose was to make the whole resources oi" the community immediately availalile for war against Germanv. Now it is to ensure that "the whole resources o? Ihe commiinity are available for use and are used in a manner best calciilated to serve the interests of the community" and in particular for increasing production and redrcssing the balance of trade. In 1947, as in 1940, the Government, the Times adds, will be cntitled to full support but until Mr'. Attlee makcs known todav the rcmedies which Ihe Government proposes to ap[)lv, it is impossible to judge how these far reaching powers are likely to be used or whether they are in fact necessary.