NOTES OF THE DAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 99, 21 January 1919, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY

Attention is directed by a eorres? pondent to the serious outlook'for the coming winter in the matter of coal supplies. The scarcity of coal at the present time when household consumption is light is making things uncomfortable enough for the average householder, but how ' much worse off will the community be when winter comes round again? Whatever steps may uow be. taken it is safe 'to say that there is a bad time ahead for the coal consumer and the possibility of very real hardship. In the circumstances it is about time that a serious warning was issued to the public, and drastic economies in every possible direction insisted on. The Government or the Board of Trade could render a very real and practical service to the community by means of a well-conducted publicity campaign which would impress'on all the seriousness of the situation. The sooner this is begun the less the suffering is likely to be when the cold weather sets in. Shipping difficulties, no doubt, hamper endeavours to import coal, but the Government _ could profitably give special consideration to this phase of the situation. The fact that the Railways Department has been experiencing difficulty in securing sufficient supplies from overseas should not be regarded as a reason for shelving the matter. It is a very big and important question, and a Minister could, in the public interest, devote his whole attention to it for some time to oome.

A . recent cablegram mentioned that thirty-four States in the American Union had ratified the amendment to the Constitution prohibiting the drink traffic, ancf it was added that the final' passage of the amendment ._ was regarded as certain. . This is in keeping with opinions that have been confidently expressed of late by American advocates of prohibition., There arc forty-eight States in the Union, so that with thirty-four "dry" no more than fourteen now uphold the sale of 'Under the Constitution the prohibition amendment, to become law, must be ' ratified by three-fourths of the States—that is to say, by thirty-six, or only two more' than have already ratified it. An American newspaper, the Providence Jownal, observed recently that the change in favour of prohibition during four years was' little short of marvellous since at the beginning of the war there were only nine-States on the "dry" roll. "These figures, however," it-adds, "do not fully represent the present situation. Most of the non-prohibi-tion States have, under local option laws, banished the liquor business from large areas. Thus Minnesota, which declined, to adopt State-wide prohibition, is, nevertheless, in a geographical sense almost wholly dry, while in Connecticut more than one hundred of the one hundred and sixty-eight cities and towns are under a noiicenso regime." At the time when the Providence Journal made its comments only thirty-two States were_ known to have declared for prohibition. A conspicuous success won by the prohibitionists at the late election was in gaining'the popular verdict in Ohio, which, is the fourth State of the Union in population.

Good news is conveyed In a cablegram which states that the British Shipping Controller has informed Sir. Thomas Mackenzie that ,tho position in regard to shipping available for the transport of produce is much eased, and that the amount of refrigerated tonnage will shortly be increased. This makes it reasonable to hope that our stores of meat and dairy produce may be cleared sooner than seemed possible not long ago, and also that shipping space may be made available for spine other items of oxport for which little outlet has been afforded during the_ war period. Since there is not likely to Do any falling off in the European demand for food and other primary products for a lonj; time to come, the clearance which is coming into nearer prospect should stimulate production in this country and make for general prosperity.

Authoritative news that tho shipping situation is easing is, not of interest only as it bears on' the export trade of the Dominion. As more ships become available it should be possible not only to increase exports, but to expedite and throw new energy into' the national development programme which at present seems to_ be rather hanging firo. If more ships are available to take away produce it should be at the same time easier to obtain necessary supplies- from abroad, including the materials which are needed in connection with development work. It is a common excuse that works which have Been nlannecl are held up for lack of labour, but the impossibility of obtaining materials has also been a seriousfactor. . It has operated with particular severity in the case of the Railways Department, and no doubt has made itself felt in connection with various nrojnctcd public works. If the shipping position continues to imnrove, tho repatriation of our soldiers may be carried out more rapidly than is at present anticipated. On all grounds, therefore, the disclosed improvement in

the shipping situation emphasises the necessity of leaving nothing undone or neglected that can be done in connection with the promotion of development works and with activities touching on repatriation.