The Daily News. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1917. THE CANADIAN ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1917. THE CANADIAN ELECTIONS.

An Ottawa cable message yesterday concisely stated the issue of the Canadian elections as. being one between the policy of "wait and see" while the soldiers died, and the sending of immed iate aid. The Unionist Government is committed to a vigorous conscription poliiy and the fact that it has obtained a victory at the polls will be hailed with the utmost satisfaction throughout the Empire, while it should serve to stimulate Australian voters to answer "Yes" at the referendum ballot. The verdict is described as a great moral upheaval of the national conscience. It is more than that, for it was a great victory for democracy, while it denotes that Canada is taking her rightful place in the war and upholding her proud position in the Kmpire. The decision of the majority of the electors emphasise* tho realisation of the crucial need for the utmost resources of Greater Britain being brought into use to obtain that final victory which must precede a durable peace. It must not, however, be taken for granted that the Government will have an easy task to carry out it# programme, for there is the very formidable problem to face in connection with the French Canadians who number nearly one third of the population, and who decline to serve in th® army either as volunteers or by compulsion- Knowing what we do of these French-Cana-dians, their attitude is what might have been expected, and it is certainly not politic to create internal troubles by applying coercion, for such a courso would only lead to disaster. With the Canadians that we reckon *s British the case is very different, and though in the case of Liberals there was a strong element of pacifists, they have been gradually convinced of the need of cohesion, with the result that ultimately a coalition Government was formed and the electors have practically endorsed this step. As the Government took steps to give the soldiers facilities for voting, the final figures should give the Unionists a very satisfactory majority that may reach the vicinity of sixty, and such a result at this crucial period of the war would have a very considerable effect in furthering the cause of the Allies. Canada has already sent to the front about 380,000 men, and she means to fight to a finish, so that we may expect a still further increase in the reinforcements in the near future. In common with the troops of all the Dominions the Canadians have covered themselves with renown for their heroic exploits, and the prospect of an impetus being given to expedite the despatch in greater numbers than ever of reinforcements to fill the gaps is decidedly gratifying. At the 6ame time there is every reason, for satisfaction at what Canada lias already done in view of the fact that such a large element of its population is not to be reckoned in estimating the available man power of the country. Viewed in every light the result of the elections as forecasted is highly creditable to the loyalty of the English speaking Canadians, and it will show the enemy that the empire is still one at heart in its determination, to fight to a finish. There will doubtless be efforts made to explain away the great victory ad.'evcd by th > Coalition.sts, but the issue was so dear (hat it left no room for doubt. The people have decided to send adequate reinforcements to the relief of the brave men who have brought honor to Canada by their courage and splendid fighting abilities, and this decision is not only preeminently fitting, but it reflects most favorably on the spirit which is animating Canadn and the whole of the Empire. 'Hiis is no time for discord, but for

sinking differences and joining hands to crush out, a menace that has become a power for evil. We can well accept the verdict of the people of Canada as an expression of solidarity, which is all lljo nioru welcome because it has arrived at a critical juncture in the history of the war. SUPPLIES OF FOOD. The desire on the part of Germany to secure control of the Russian wheat fields is easily intelligible, remarks.the Otago Daily Times. The world is threatened with a shortage of foodstuffs. The deficiency affects practically all commodities. There is, as a result, universal anxiety respecting the supplies. Crops of cereals have been markedly under the average, and for such stocks as are available for export from the cornproducing countries the demand is, as a natural consequence, keen and strong. France, for example, is very short of cereals. Her corn harvest was the smallest for fifty years. Though a quarter of a million men have been restored to the land this year from tie army, the deficit is heavy in every crop, and can be made good only 'by the importation of 140,0*0,000 bushels of cereals. Italy is in much the same plight, and these coun-1 tries, which before the war were mainly self-supporting in the matter of food production, are now in the market earnestly seeking supplies. There are, as is known, abundant supplies of wheat in Australia, awaiting shipment, but, Mr. Lloyd George said in a recent speech, that country "is almost ruled out" as a moans of supplying the deficiencies because of "the! enormous mileage" ofj seas that has to be crossed and because shipping must be utilised to ply between ports that are reached by shorter voyages. In Great Britain the need for the increase of production of cereals has! been grappled with energetically, with the result that a deficit of 300,000 acres under oereals on the acreage of 1916 has been turned into an increase of 380,- 1 000. In other words, the English farmer alone added 700,000 acres to the foodproducing capacity of the country in the course of a few months. The achievement was the more noteworthy because for most of the year the weather was against the farmer. Most im-pressivje 'have been tho warnings issued from responsible quarters in the Mother Country as to tho need for the exercise of the strictest economy in the use of foodstuffs. "The harvests of the world," Lord Rhondda, the Food Controller, said recently, "will not meet tho requirements of ourselvcß and our allies during the next twelve months unions our present rate of consumption is materially reduced." He added that the winter would be a time of the gravest anxiety unless the most rigid economy was exercised in every household. But the trouble will not !be ended when the winter is over. There will continue to be a shortage of cereals. For this reason the British farmer is being urged to improve on his achievement of this year. Mr. Prothero, President of the Board of Agriculture, put the case in the following terms in a speech in the early part of October: In 1918, whether peace is won or war prolonged, tho world's exportable surplus of grain will probably run so short that we shall not be aWo to purchase abroad the usual quantities of grain on which we live. Anyhow, we I shall be short both of money and of! ships. In all probability, then, corn will be scarce; certainly it will be dear ito buy and 'difficult to carry. WHiat | farmers are asked to do is to get three million more acres under wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, and roots.

It was not suggested that the fanners should plough up an additional three million acres of pasture. What was asked was that the farmers should provide some portion of the increased acreage from their 350,000 acres of bare fallow, or from their 2,500,000 acres of clover and rotation grasses l , or by taking two oern crops in succession, provided that they kept the land clean and in good heart. Si the same speech Mr I'rotlu'ro observed that there would be a probable shortage of meat supplies both during and after the war, and that if the. consumption of meat were not reduced'the position might become dangerous. On this fear he based a strong appeal for an increased production of cereals. "The supply of food," he pointed wit, "is of vital importance. It may decide the issue between defeat and victory, .between ordered progress or revolution." j