The Daily News. TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1916. SHORTAGE OF MUNITIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 January 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1916. SHORTAGE OF MUNITIONS.

The statement recently made in the House of Commons by the British Premier (Mr. Asquith), relative to the shortage of munitions came a« a surprise, for it was generally considered that the output had for some time past been satisfactory. Although Mr. Asquith S'vms to have imported an impressive pr.'.vity ir.to his words there is no reason to regard (h? situation with anxiety. At the same time there can he no doubt that (he speedy and successful conclusion of the war rests largely on the adequacy of munition supplies. It will bo seen on reference to the British Premier's remarks that his main theme was the imperative necessity for the dilution of skilled labor, and the reason therefor was to expedite the output* of munitions. It does not at all follow that there is a lack of munitions for present requirements, but it is for the work in the comina spring that the need presses.

So far aa pan be judged, by reading between the lines, Britain intends to place in the field in the near future some two or three million men in order to make vigorous and sustained attacks on the enemy with a view to bringing the war to a conclusion as early as possible. It will be noticed that the words used by Mr. Asquith in the House eoncerning this matter wore most carefully chosen. He stated, with regret, that the progress of munitions' manufacture "hitherto wa°» lamentably short of national requirements," and intimated that the Government proposed to apply the Munitions Act (o dilute labor immediately, in accordance with the agreement with representatives of the masters and men. The very fact that.it had not been deemed necessary to take, this important step sooner would seem to imply that national requirements have now expanded very materially. In view of the important operations that are expected before long, and of the largo forces to be employed therein, if is evident that exceptional efforts will have to be made to equip the men with enough and to spare of every species of munitions, and especially of high power explosive shells. Fortunately, the British Oovernment has provided the remedy for making up the shortage, and -there is every reason to justify the theory that Mr. Asquith's intention was to impress the workers with the gravity of the situation in order to convince them-of the absolute necessity for applying the Munitions Act to dilute labor, as well as to appeal to them for the utmost they can do towards increasing the output. In taking this course he certainly acted rightly, and it is evident that from now onwards, to tins close of the war, there must be a tense concentration of effort on munitions work, for thereby alone can victory be achieved. If Britain could put as many as ten million men into the field they would, without an adequate supply of munitions, be mere targets for the enemy. The time has arrived when it lias become imperative to grasp this vital matter with firmness and determination. However well the men have worked in the past in the factories where munitions are made they must produce even greater results, and as many more men as may be necessary must be drafted into the work. The action of the Government in faoing this crucial question in a determined manner is particularly reassuring, and it emphasises .the initiation of that forward move which we all hope will soon take place and be the beginning of the end.