THE WAR EFFORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24226, 19 February 1940, Page 8

THE WAR EFFORT

URGENT ECONOMIES LABOUR, MONEY AND FOOD APPEAL TO BRITISH PEOPLE (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Feb. 17. (Received Feb. 18, at 6 p.m.) The importance of maintaining export trade was emphasised in a speech at Nottingham by Sir Samuel Hoare, who discussed the question where the balance between the rival claims of the fighting services and the export industries was to be fixed. The Government, he said, was conscious of the need for adequate

man-power and sufficient raw materials to maintain export trade, realising that without the income from this, it could not expect to

FATE OF GERMANY ULTIMATE DEFEAT CERTAIN CAIRO, Feb. 16. (Received Feb. 17, at 6 p.m.) General Sir Archibald Wavell, broadcasting to Egypt, said: “There will be a surprise yet. Germany will undoubtedly use her advantages of central position and long preparation for aggression, but her ultimate defeat is certain.”

He paid a tribute to Egyptian co-operation.

maintain throughout the struggle the purchase of the commodities vital to war industries, or essential to nourish the people. Gold, foreign securities, and export trade were the main sources of buying power abroad. “If we dig too deeply into our resources > abroad,” he said, “ and if they diminish too fast, national credit will suffer damage on that account. I believe it is possible to maintain our fighting forces at full strength and at the same time not only to maintain, but even to expand, our export trade. But if we are to succeed in this, we must economise in the uses of labour and also in the uses of the products of labour. We must direct the energies of our working men and women to the producing of goods for foreign markets. It may be said that there is no need to economise in labour so long as we have 1,361,000 unemployed in Britain, but that figure is a misleading total. When casual workers are deducted and when account has been taken of the men passing from one job to another, and when other adjustments have been made, the sum total of those immediately available for work is very much less. The reserve of immediately available man-power in the labour market is probably not half that number, and it is inevitable that this small reserve should disappear. All the • men in it should find their way into productive work before long.” Discussing how to secure economy ins the use of labour, Sir Samuel Hoare said each one must restrict his right to buy, reconciling himself to increases in taxation and also saving as much as. possible. Sir Samuel Hoare paid a tribute to the National Savings Campaign under which over £85,000,000 had been raised for national purposes. After pointing out the importance of restricting imports, Sir Samuel Hoare dealt with the question of wages. The Government’s policy, he said, was to sustain the buying power of weekly pay envelopes. Discussing the difference between real and money wages he pointed out the dangers of inflation, and said that in Britain, with her long- , established tradition of free bargaining. it was impossible to issue an edict prohibiting any wage rise. The British were reasonable people, and given the facts they would reach the right conclusion. Food economy, said Sir Samuel Hoare, would secure economy of labour, and he appealed to all to reduce the consumption of unnecessary food as far as possible. There was no form of economy which would give bigger returns or bring swifter results than economy in imported food purchases. Foodstuffs from abroad were the biggest item in foreign spendings. After dealing with the home production of food, he said it was expected to increase the available land by 2,000,000 acres, this being an increase of 20 per cent, of the land now under the plough. Towns must also do their part by cultivating gardens and allotments to the full.