The Daily News. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1917. THE ESSENTIALS FOR VICTORY.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1917. THE ESSENTIALS FOR VICTORY.

It will be noticed that in the cabled message from London, appearing in this issue, relative to the opening of the British Parliament, Mr. Asquith expressed the conviction that the two essentials requisite for a speedy victory -were the co-ordination of the plans and operations of the Allies, and the concentration oi home resources. With, regard to the former there is every indication of a complete understanding having been arrived and we shall doubtless see priof cf this in the near future when the proper moment arrives. The questionof concentration of home resources, however, is one that would in all probability have not been so easy of accomplishment had not Germany instituted her campaign of unlimited piracy with the avowed object of "starving England." In the face of such a threat the need for concentration of home resources becomes so plain that it should bring all classes of the community into line, not only in Britain, but throughout the Empire. It will be rcmeniue.ou that tnu new German plans for the mobilisation of the whole human force of the countiy were taken in hand by von Hindenburg at the commencement of last November, but it was a month previous to that when the Man-Power Board appointed by the British Government took in hand a similar mission, yet very little effective work was done. Of late, how ever, there has been commendable activity it being clear that unless there was an adequate answer to the desperate e..ort Germany is now making, there would be very little of ending the war in 1917. The more Germany is pressed, the more ''frightful - ' her methods of fighting will become, until she perceives that the game is up. Wo may expect manifestations of savagery during the coming year such as even this war lias not yet witnessed, tier submarine warlwsa has readied an uncomfortable stage of ferocity, but there is a strong feeling that Germany lias already done all the mischief she possibly could by that means, and though Uie scope of opcraions has been extended so has the risks. Germany's object is really not to starve Britain, but to mask other movements by land and sea as well as to terrorise neutrals into a state of cowed inactivity. The food aiiu trasport problem will, under the circumstances be much more difficult to solve, the supreme need for organising and concentrating the home resources. Every fit, man that can possibly be spared for the fighting line is urgently required for that purpose, so that it becomes imperative to obtain substitutes for industrial work. Germany, having regimented her whole male population, is now engaged in organising her women for work on the land and in industry with her usual methodical care and foresight. Britain will have to do the same, and in national interests it should be done sooner rather than later. As tlie able-bodied men arc "combed out" and taken for work at the front or in the military zone behind the front the need for women's labor at home in every direction will grow. There will be so I much to be done that if the \roraea do

nol, enine forward in sufficient numbers 11.0 nation, will have to resort to compulsion and to "fetch" tliem as it has '•fetched'' the men. In the Dominions >■ here the food supplies for the Motherhind are largely provided, it is neces-

sary to retain the services of a millicieiit mtinker of men to produce these snppi'os, and though women ean be of great siTvico they cannot replace the majority of the producers, but in the Homeland it is different. The main points are ll.e necessity of organisation and concentration, the elimination of luxuries ai:d waste, and the utilisation of ever, owner of energy that tlie man, woman and child power of the Umpire can conscript. The speedy ending of the war ;s becoming more and more necessary every day, hence the wisdom of doing all in our power to bring about victory