The Daily News. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1915. A SCATHING INDICTMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1915, Page 5

The Daily News. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1915. A SCATHING INDICTMENT.

Rarely has the British House of Commons listened to such a scathing indictment as that which proceeded from Mr. Lloyd George on Tuesday. Primarily the speech was intended to show the strides that had been taken to overcome the serious deficiency in the output of munitions, and how grave that evil was we all know, but in his direct and forceful way, Mr. Lloyd George reviewed the whole subject of munitions, and, incidentally he let loose the vials of his wrath on those who were responsible for the terrible havoc caused by the fatal policy of being "too late." "Moving here too late; arriving there too late; coming to decisions too late; starting enterprises too late. The footsteps of the Allies have been dogged with the mocking spectre of too late, and unless they quickened their movements damnation would fall on the sacred cause. That is why so much gallant blood has flowed. It is a question whether the employers and workers are going to drag tlip war to an end in a yea* victoriously, or linger along a blood-stained path for years." In these startling words, Mr. Lloyd George dared to speak the truth and lay bare the shortcomings of the responsible authorities. Whether he was wise in thus deliberately exposing the weakness and blunders that have b( en so much in evidence is a matter that need not be discussed. At the same time it may be assumed that a responsible Minister of the Crown would not have made such trenchant remarku unless matters at the present time were in a far more favorable state than lieietofore. Going back to last May, | Mr. Lloyd George showed that tin Of man output of shells per day amounted to a quarter of a million, while the British factories only produced two thousand five hundred high exp'osive shells and thirteen thousand shrapnel shell?:, with the result that what Britain had stinted in material she had squandered in precious lives. The record '<Bs^

action shows ail too clearly that had the military authorities been allowed to continue in the ways of the past an irreparable disaster would have overtaken the British forces. A civilian Minister with unbounded enthusiasm and determination took the matter in hand at the eleventh hour, and he h«B accomplished wonders. Ho organised and equipped forty local ammunition factories, put up national shell factories, and effected savings amounting to many millions. To increase tho supply of munitions, minimise labor difficulties, and reduce the cost of output so as to save twenty millions Is a record that reflects great credit on the Minister of Munitions, while it has been an inestimable boon for the Motherland. The disclosure aa to the shortage of machineguns is by no means pleasant reading, but the fact that the delivery of new guns has increased five-fold is a tribute to the organising and executive power of Mr. Lloyd George, At the same time it is disappointing to learn that there is still a short-age of labor, and as a consequence machines that might and should be increasing the output are idle. On those foolish, carping critics who prate about over-ordering and over-production, the Minister was justly severe, there being irrefutable wisdom in his contention that what was 9pared in money was spilled in blood, for, as every soldier says, there is only one way of destroying barb-wire defences—enough ammunition to crush every enemy trench, every complete emplacement, shatter every machine-gun, and rend every yard of entanglment, and thereby force the eneiiiy to fight in the open. It is evfdent that Mr. "Lloyd George has thoroughly justified his appointment as Minister of Munitions. He grasped the position with a firm hand, unearthed the defects, instituted a hustling policy and revolutionised the output. When it is realised that success or defeat depends entirely on the sufficiency and "efficiency of the munitions output, it will readily be understood - what an immense service Mr. Lloyd George has performed and is still carrying out. His appeal to employers and workers not to have "too late" inscribed on the portals of tho workshops should, and doubtless will, produce good fruit. The military experts will have much to answer for when the proper time to bring them to book arrives. It is reassuring to know that the blunders of the past are being remedied, and in view of the strenuous operations in sight for the near future it is well that there is at the head of the Munitions Department, a man of resource and reliability like Mr. Lloyd George. Mr. Asquitfi admits there has been an abundance of errors and miscalculations, but he asserts that the fundamental facts are growingly with the Allies.