The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1917. NATIONAL CONCENTRATION

Taranaki Daily News, 12 January 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 1917. NATIONAL CONCENTRATION

The history of almost every war in which Britain has been engaged discloses the remarkable fact that it is not until the semi-final or final stages that the authorities have risen to the occasion to give, &e it were, the final stroke of victory. The present struggle has been no exception to the rule, for it is enly after two and a half years' continuous warfare that there is any approch to *ia adequate realisation of the magnitude of the efforts that are imperative in order I to win. At last, however, the British Government has decided that concentrating the national and administrative ■energies upon the war is a matter of -vital necessity. To prosecute the war to a successful conclusion is a task of colossal proportions, but inasmuch as the units of the nation- must Mvc, the industries be carried on, as well as trade and commerce, it is at once evident that the services of every man. woman, and child of workable age must be utilised to the utmost advantage. To adjust the claims of the army for all available man power on the one hand, and the claims of industrial manufacturers, especially munitions, on the other, is by no means as easy as some would think, but now that method am. system predominate in British organisation the problem to a large extent solves itself. It is the women who are no nobly saving the situation. All the women in England are working wonderfully—at munitions, in banks and offices, as milk carriers and bakers, railway porters and ticket collectors, as lift attendants, motor drivera (ears and lorries), tramway motorwomen and conductors, farm helpers, and almost every kind of employment heretofore undertaken by men-—with the result that the men have been set free for war work; and yet there are millions, of men qf military age still employed in what are termed non-essential industries. The new policy of the British Government in adopting national service —civil and military—is designed in the first place to utilise the man power of the tountry for prosecuting the war, and then to employ the balance on industrial work to maintain Britain's trade, to build her ships, and carry on the numer- . ous activities of the State. If we tak? the returns for the past five years, it will be seen that the exports for 1916 were , the largest of any except for 1913. In 1912 the expprtß were valued at £487,j 223,439, while those in 1916 are set down, at £500,548,212. These latter figure* are most remarkable under the circum- •] stances, but they tend to demonstrate fi&e fact shat hejnterests of trade have %■"'■':..'''/ '.'-.' ■ ' -•■■■■: ;

been fostered at the expense of tte vigorous prosecution of the war. The time has arrived when the urgency of the -Allies' task makes it imperative to comb out the men employed on non-essentiai industries so that they may swell the ranks in the battle-field. Th; fiat iias gone forth that only actual necessaries must count, that non-essential commodities and luxuries must be counted out, and that munitions, reserves, shipbuilding and kindred services must alone be provided for. It is also pleasing to note that the new policy of national organisation is not stopping short at the duration of the war, but is already preparing for work that must be undertaken when peace comes and the -.rmies are demobilised. The process tjiat is now going on is one that has become absolutely necessary, and it bids fait not only to meet the requirements of the army and navy, but to lay the foundation of a new era of commercial and industrial greatness that will materially help to repair the ravages and wastage of the prolonged Btruggle. The policy of complete and thorough national organisation is one that should be followed in every part of the Empire. Primarily a war measure, it jontains the true elements of political economy, and if generally adopted would strengthen the Empire incalculably and give it an added power. The one great task now is to win the war, and, if the organisation that is required to accomplish that object will also place our peace activities on a more satisfactory and expansive plane so much the better. There is work—and important work—for all, but hitherto organisation has been lacking, so that now the opportunity for putting the Empire in order is with us it should be embraced with the utmost eagerness, for it is oound to be productive of fruitful results.