The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 1915. THE MUNITIONS PROBLEM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 309, 8 June 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 1915. THE MUNITIONS PROBLEM.

Tlio one great outstanding feature of the war is the abnormal expenditure of ammunition, so that it is not surprising that Britain and her Allies have a tremendous problem lo solve in order to cope with the demand. The immensity of the task was recently pointed out by Mr. Lloyd George when addressing a meeting of a thousand makers of war .munitions at Manchester. No more forcilble statement could have been made than that in which he alluded to the set-tak the Russians had suffered by the. outpouring of thunderous sbovrers of Gertman slhot and shell at the rate of two thousand shells an hour, concentrated on the. Russian trenches with such disastrous effect, and ho pressed the point home by adding: "Had we. been in a position to apply the same process to tbo Germans on our front, they should have been turned out of France, «nd well out of the country (which they have tortured and tormented with dastardly cruelty." In the reconstruction of the British Cabinet the allotment of the portfolio of Minister of Munitions to Mr. Lloyd George was tortainly a master-stroke of political •wisdom. Not only has he stood since the war as the most bighly-esteemed memlber of the Cabinet, but his untiring energy, intense determination and consummate tactfulness in dealing with emergency problems pre-eminently fits him to cope with the greatest task that faces the Allied commanders. The gravity of the situation necessitated immediate action, and the Minister at once tackled the onerous task of convincing the manufacturers and their ■workpeople that on them depended who-' ther Britain should emerge from the present colossal struggle ''beaten, humiliated stripped of power, honor and influence—a mere bond-slave to a cruel military tyranny, or whether she would emerge triumphant, free and more powerful than ever for good in the affairs of men." There is no disguising the momentous issue which was so

graphically outlined liy the Minister. We arc fighting Llio best organised nation in tlic world, and wo nood the utmost strength and resource in turning out munitions not only to shatter the enemy, hut to save the lives of our galliuvt sons who «rc upholding with such conspicuous bravery the existence of the Empire, and the cause of peace. It is a douhle problem that confronts the Imperial authorities, for they have not only to adequately equip the J'ritish forces, hut also to find a sufilcienvv for our Allies. Speaking in April last. Mr. Lloyd George 'pointed out that liritain in something like eight months had provided ami equipped an army on the Continental scale, having quintupled her land forces besides replacing every man ■who had dropped. lie rightly claimed that; to he one of the most magnificent feats (if organisation wliiiih had never before been accomplished in the history of any country. The great surprise of the war. however, was the amount of artillery ammunition that had to be J expended, and this in conjunction witb

flic change in the character of that amnuiition made the problem of supply one of tlio greatest difficulty to solve owing to the need for high-explosive shells. Some idea of what has been accomplished may be gathered from the output of artillery ammunition up to /March last. Taking the output for September as 20, that for October and November was !)0, rising in December ;o ilaG, January 180, February 250, March 3SB. TbM means the outp\it in the 'period mentioned was multiplied nine- ' teeirfold, with every prospect of a corresponding increase, subsequently. And still the output was below requirements owing to slackness of the workers To meet the great anil sudden demand for munitions a system of sub-contracting was resorted to, involving the employment of about three thousand firms, and even then the supply was inadequate. It stands to reason that large increases in the armies necessitate an enormous addition to the amnumif'n'.i supplies, and Mr. Lloyd George is i-c-.v straining every nerve to obtain the equipment which is so imperative ii buVjcoss is to be achieved. Ilia straight-out appeal to the employers and workers is forceful and convincing. If the fact that by turning out sufficient shells not only secures the desllruction of the enemy, but at the same time saves the lives of comrades, will not induce the workers to put forth their best endeavors, then there remains as a last resource the application t 0 compulsion We should greatly reigrot if such a drastic measure had to bo applied, but the need must be met either willingly or otherwise. Apparently this is now being understood as the. men are waking up to the gravity of the .situation, but Mr. Lloyd George expressly stated it had been decided that compulsory powers were essential so as to make the best use. of available resources. We may safely trust .Mr. Lloyd George to accomplish his object, for no member of the Cabinet has a, greater sense of the importance of .the munitions problem than the Minister who liaii undertaken its solution. To a large extent, it is on his shoulders that the issue of the war depends.

Tin: winter snow. The Taranaki Agricultural Society's winter show is always an attractive function that makes a pleasant brc;>.k at a season of the year when the farming community have comparative leisure for being present, it being their slack time, while the townspeople never fail lo attend in large numbers, the attractions being such as to suit all tastes. This year there is every prospect that the show, which opens co-morrow at the Coronation Hall, will be even better than its predecessors, for every year adds to the experience of the committee iu catering for the pleasure of the district, and also for its profit. These periodical shows perform a very useful work by encouraging competitions in which both town and country residents can participate, and they bring together people of all occupations, all of whom will find many exhibits and sideshows to interest and amuse them. The opening ceremony on Wednesday will be in | the hands of the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. W. V. Massey, and that will give an added interest to the occasion. The exhibits, and especially that of the Agricultural Department, are this' year of great merit. This is one of the institutions that thoroughly deserves public patronage, and it is confidently expected that the attendance will be exceptionally large. Mr. Churchill, late First Lord of the Admiralty, advises us "to be of good cheer" in these days of stress. A practical way of acting on that sensible advice would be to support the wintn chow.