LESS FOOD—CONTINUED FOOD DESTRUCTION. (To THE EDITOR OF THE "
SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—It is almost a year ago since the Prime Minister declared that the food position was so grave that imports of paper and fruits, among other things, must be restricted, the beer barrelage farther reduced from twenty-six millions to ten millions, and the output of wines and spirits correspondingly decreased. You lamented at that time Mr. Lloyd George's deplorable non sequitur, and indicated that if timings were reaching such a stage, War- Time Prohibition of intoxicants was the plain duty of any "Win the War " Government, and that patriotic citizens would accept, if not actually applaud, such a step.
Note what has happened since. About a thousand merchant
vessels carrying food and coal have been sunk by the Germans since February 1st. Lord Rhondda's stream of Food Orders, Sir Arthur Yapp's frantic appeals (more plaintive than those of Mr. Kennedy Jones), the distressing food queues, and the demand for compulsory rationing, all show a far more serious situation. Paper supplies are to be again curtailed, none but the rich can afford foreign fruits, yet the beer output has been increased. Lord Rhondda has invited the public to drink more wine as an act of patriotic economy! The increased beer barrelage in June was excused in Parliament because of alleged strikes; but as the names of the areas where such took place were never stated it is not known even to-day whether they were really due to beer shortage, or to what extent, if any, they were fomented by the Liquor Trade or its allies. The supposed harvest need for more beer was equally unconvincing and dishonest, as proved by the fact that the increased barrelage is still being maintained, this time without the pretence of an excuse. Heedless of the resolution of the Labour Party last spring, and of the declaration of scores of Trade Union representatives in favour of War-Time Prohibi- tion, the country is still asked to believe the Trade-inspired libel that the working classes and their leaders prefer to put beer before bread.
Replying to Mr. Robert Harcourt, M.P., the Prime Minister lately declared that the Government must carry public opinion with it. Yet the Government has never endeavoured to ascertain what public opinion is, although a plelbiscite of the whole country might have been taken for one-fiftieth of the cost of the largely futile appeals to "Eat Less Bread." While this Government, like its predecessor, is palsied under the secret pressure of the Trade, which has destroyed during the star sufficient grain and sugar to feed us all with those commodities for more than eight months, our Colonial cousins and American Allies have grown more impatient and restive. It has been hard for them to see the grain they grew for our sustenance destroyed to debauch the sons they have sent to fight the common foe. We cannot now expect to achieve all that would have been possible if Prohibition had been enacted at the outbreak of the conflict, but even now it would do more than anything else to save the food situation, increase enormously the reservoir of efficient man-power, and revitalize the soul of the nation for whatever sacrifices may still
Secretary, Strength of Britain Movement. Empire House, 175 Piccadilly, Jr. 1.
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