ENGLAND'S DANGER.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1918, Page 3

ENGLAND'S DANGER.

SIR ERIC GEDDES’ WARNING

The following warning to the pubic n connection with the submarine men

ace. was given by Sir Eric Geddes, Firs Lord of tbe Admiralty, in the House o Commons on November 16th :

The good report of tonnage sunk In enemy submarines in last week, and in deed the comparatively favourable ro ports for the last two months, ought, not to be taken as indicating that the submarine menace is a tiling or tbe pcs.

or is defeated. In the statement 1 made in tlii

House on November 1, I said that the enemy’s “attack on our trade is being; held,” but that it was not defeated, f also stated as plainly as I could that our methods were improving, and tha’.

I looked with confidence to the defeat of the submarine menace eventually. .1 also pointed out that although we were now straining every nerve to increase our merchant shipbuilding—-as were our Allies—we wore not at present maintain ing the mercantile marine tonnage against the depredations of the enemy submarines. I see no reason in what ha s happened since, or in the favourable results of the last week, to qualify or modify in any way- what I have said as publicly as possible, both in this House an elsewhere, and which I crave the indulgence of the House to permit mo to repeat:— (1) That the calls upon the merchant shipping of the world for the waging of war are so great at the present time that nothing would be left unsaid or un done which will bring home to the people of this country and of all the Allied countries that economy in everything that is seaborne has a direct vital and early result upon the successful prosecution of the war. (2) That the shipyards are short of

nert and women, and that all the la-

bour that can he saved from unnecessary work or production, and diverted to the shipyards, will have a direct effect upon the winning of the war. Lastly, 1 would earnestly beg /the House and the country not to be uplifted and ' cast down bv one good or bad week or month in tonnage sinkingsTho steady downward curve of sinkings since April shows that we are holding, and,-for the present mastering the submarine. The rise in merchant shipbuild ing, present and proposed, shows tlmt we arc counteracting his efforts. But I repeat once more—

We must have rigid economy. We must ave increased output in marine engine shops and shipyards.