The Daily News. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1917. WAR SACRIFICES.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 February 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1917. WAR SACRIFICES.

It was somewhat of a coincidence that the meeting of dairy farmers at Eltham, and the delivery of a very grave statement hv tiie British Premier in the House of Commons, should have taken place practically about the same time. Both these events reflect the crisis at which the Empire has arrived in connection with the war, and both indicate the imperative need for greater sacrifices than have hitherto been deemed necessary. There was bound to come a tinio in this prolonged and costly struggle when all the belligerents would keenly feel its economic effects, and when each would have to face and overcome problems vitally affecting the issue. The two main aspects of the present acuta crisis are to be found in the questions of production and consumption, for it ia of paramount importance that the belligerents should be adequately fed and clothed, and that those engaged' in the Work of supplying the armies ivvith the necessary materials should also receive their proper share of food, clothing and shelter, as well as the ordinary civilians who pursue the multifarious occupations connected with national activities. We may therefore regard Britain, and our Allies as consumers, and the Dominions as the producers, the connecting link being that of ocean transport. In theso three factors are to be found the problem that has now become acute, for in each the difficulties have become greater as the war has progressed. Taking the position in the Motherland as depicted with such impressiveness and solemnity by Mr. Lloyd George, it is seen that he places the shipping problem in the fore, front of the grave difficulties requiring immediate solution, for he commenced his historical speech by stating that "tlw ultimate success of the Allied cause depends on the solution of the tonnage difficulties, for not only is tliere a shortage for the general needs of the nation, but also for military purposes." He Was careful to point out, however, that shortage was not due to Germany's submarine campaign, but in thti main to over a million tons being allocated to Franco alone, while a further considerable amount was being used by Russia and Italy. At the same time he gravely warned the nation that it must be prepared for drastic sacrifices to cope with submarining, otherwise it would -be confronted with disaster. The truth of this assertion is only too apparent, and it must be realised as a peril ! of great magnitude considering that Britain is almost entirely dependent on overseas food supplies,, hence the immediate need for tackling the problem jpromptly by naval measures, by building losW ships, but above all by. dispensing

with unnecessary imports and increasinw home iprouuction.s. The Dominium; as greatly interested in the solution of this problem as is Britain, for without adequate transport facilities their produce is of little use, heme the shipping trouble becomes equally acute for them as for the Motherland, and on its solution depends the ability to win the war Do matter how long it lasts. The methods proposed by the British Premier v. ould seem to be drastic, bur, likely to prove effective. Ocean transport is the life-blood of the Empire. Next in importance is the problem of production, and it is to this factor that we would specially draw attention, for it is at tho root of'the question which led to the convening of the meeting at Elthaui on Saturday, and is causing the greatest anxiety on the part of the dairy farmers of Taranaki and other parts of the Dominion. Mr. Lloyd George, in hi* Epeech, emphasised in stern language that it was essential to the life of the nation that the people should immediately put every effort to increase production, otherwise it might have to choose between diminishing its military efforts or underfeeding the people, lis further stated —and it is this point wq wish to stress—that the lack of laboi was partly the reason which prevented farmers increasing the cultivation oi their land. To overcome this he promised that an efl'ort should tie made to meet the difSclltv by not calling up foi military service ''the agricultural ablebodied men." A third standard child would readily understand Jhat a principle of this kind which governs the situation in Britain is equally applicable in the case of similar conditions in New Zealand. The 1' nn Military Service Board, liowev.has shown its inability to realise the paramount importante of production as compared with scooping the male population intc- tho military net without regard to what will become of the producing industry. It is beyond' dispute that if the dairying industry is to be deprived of its workers jt must languish and not fulfil its purpbses, besides bringing heavy losses on those who have spent many years of unremitting energy, skill and judgment on raising it to its present successful position. The Military Service Boar.l and the British 'Premier appear to bo diametrically opposed, in their views as to which is the more important—more men or more produce, Mr. Lloyd George insists that increased production is esBential for the life of the nation, but' the Military Service Board places ''more men" as taking precedence over food supplies. In view of the urgency oi' both these necessaries, and especially taking into account the time when the Second Division will be called up in the Dominion, tlic dairy farmers of Taranaki did well to foregather in large numbers •it Eltham on -Saturday to face the question and take steps as far an possible to meet the emergency by organisation i,iud suggestions to the Government, l'he first resolution practically embraced the whole of the situation. It recognised the necessity for organisation for maintaining the Dominion's production, »nd pointed out the evil of depleting the Dominion of so much skilled labor. Butter and cheese cannot be produced without extraordinary labor, so that tho problem of keeping up—to say nothing of increasing—the supplies with a wholesale depletion of labor is a problem that defies rational solution. Mr. Lloyd George is meeting it by not calling up the able-bodied men engaged in the industry, while the Dominion is ex.. pected to make bricks without straw. The meeting therefore acted wisely in deciding to urge on tlie Government the necessity of taking steps to organise all those engaged in the production of necessaries, and this eould be done in much the same way as Britain proposes in the case of woodmen and foresters, by regarding the workers r.s part of the military forces. The meeting also placed its finger on a serious blot in the constitution of the Military Service Board iby urging the appointment of a practical dairy farmer to the Boards operating in dairying districts, and we press this matter very seriously on the lirtention of the Government. There niay, and probably will be some difference of opinion as to the wisdom of the meeting 'in passing some of the resolutions That were recorded, but the appointment of committees to watch ove* and present appeals to the Board; to confer with the Board and to assist the Government and military authorities; and to organise and utilise the manhood, womanhood and resources of the Dominion for the prosecution of the war Mid the production of necessary commodities, was a wise and patriotic step. It is help and not destructive criticism that is wanted* but, above all, it is essential that farmers, in common with every other class in the Dominion, should fully realise that the present struggle demands not only great sacrifices, but the total elimination of the natural desire to make as much profit ns possible out of war conditions. It would, as Mr. Lloyd George so eloquently stated, bo a black crime for any Government to ask the flower of our race to suffer torture, terror and death in daring and doing unless the nation was prepared to take its share of tho sacrifice in tlie coming conflict. There must bB neither faint-heartedness nor selfishness, but a common determination to do our .best with unflinching courage and ungrudging heart.