When the House of Commons reassembled on Tuesday Mr. Runeiman
made the extremely important announcement that the Government had decided to take over the whole control of the wheat supply. They will work through a Royal Commission, which will be invested with full powers to secure a sufficient and regular supply. The Government have already bought a very large amount of Australian wheat. Mr. Runciman explained that the possibility of the release of much wheat now locked up in grain-exporting countries had caused the trade here to become disinclined to hold more than a minimum stock. Consequently the Government had adopted the recommendation of the Cabinet Committee on Food Supplies that the Government must themselves undertake importa- tion. Mr. Runciman stated that the Government had taken steps to secure the necessary tonnage. Requisitioned vessels would have to provide space at fixed rates. The Royal Commission will Consist of Lord Crawford (President), Mr. A. Garrett Anderson (of the Orient Line), Sir Hemy Rew (recently Assistant-Secretary of the Board of Agriculture), Sir George Saltmarsh (formerly President of the London Corn Trade Association), and Messrs. H. W. Patrick, Hugh Rathbone, Oswald Robinson, T. B. Royden, and J. F. Beale.
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