10 NOVEMBER 1917, Page 3

There has been much discussion about the curious situation created

by the large potato crop. Although there is something like a glut of potatoes, the price continues high, and both inside and out- side Parliament there has been an attempt to ridicule the Govern- ment's plan of fixing a minimum price. Surely the only reasonable reflection on this discussion is that it was the offer of the minimum price which made it worth while for the fanners to produce " the glut." You cannot have it both ways. If a fairly high guaranteed minimum price increases your supply, a valuable end has been achieved, and it is then unreasonable to complain that although there are plenty of potatoes the price is high. To our mind, the question of supply is always vastly more important than tbequestion of price. Indeed, high prices have their advantages in restricting consumption, but there are no advantages whatever in a scarcity of supply.