"BUSINESS AS USUAL"

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1915, Page 5

"BUSINESS AS USUAL"

"A DAMNABLE DOOTBINB." VIGOROUS SPEECH FROM MB. WILFORD. . t By Telegraph.—Special to. Daily News, Wellington, Last Sight. The member for Hutt (Mr. T. mT Wilforti) opened the Budget debate to-night with a vigorous tad interfestifcg speech. Its special feature was an impassioned appeal for national economy, and for a realisation that the necessities of the Empire, at a time of unexampled crisis, could not be met by the "damnable doctrine" of "business 9s usual." "Britain'.! control of the seas," taid Mr. Wilford, "made it necessary that Germany should organise herself" for war, and this she has done, and has become more truly self-supporting than ever before. The eoonomie disadvantages indicted on Germany by the war has beeftme a military advantage, while the economic fcdtaiu tage in Britain's .case has been counter* , acted largely by our- military needs. We are spending more money "than fJermsny is spending, and are pilipg up a debt greater by far than our enemy Is* incurring. The position was never foreseen. Who would liave imagltted thai Britain's 1 complete control of the atts Woe IS have been an economic disadvantage, owing' to our large payments for war putposes,' while Germany would have.bwri compelled to organise ol a natiwaT basis and therefore become more self-support-ing and self-reliant? The circumstances denfand a most ripid exercise of national and individual economy. Tint economy is the imperative duty of every man and woman in this oountry. "Our Allies and our enemies''have, placed in absolute Rbevanee the ordinary laws of supply and demand," added Mr, Wilford. "They have eliminated the influences of competition in tlic hour of national ne.ed. it is our duty to do the same. Our enemies are not talking of 'business as usual.' That is a doctrine for. neutral countries. The man wh# <;sks for it in a belligerent eountry is unpatriotic and disloyal in the last degree."

.Mr. Wilford said that war profit* were profits made out of the men who wore fighting the Empire's .battles, and hu.'i asked why the Mother Country should , be required by New Zcnland jwodueers'i to pay special war prices for the food- ! stuffs needed bv the troops, wliofi, but . for the protection of the BritWh fleet, the produce would not be able to reach 11 a 1 market at all. The peonle \t\io v/tro ■' reaping war profits should be madu to i. realise that tliev were fattening on theij blood of the soldiers, and .hnmpoririß tho j i H'ippire in the Bupreme «tw/i'lc for free- rJ ; ilotii and security. Mr. Wilford urjjed'r that all the extra revenue required £ould ■ b? secured by a levy on war profits. ■j i the speech was both constructive andn incisive, and the member'for Eelon (Mr, | Cj J. Parr) followed with eome fenarks," | more conventional in tone> Curiously ' enough, lie chose to begin by saying that ■ the previous .speaker had covered too wide a range.