No doubt a point may be reached where the possessors
of some articles essential for the waging of the war or for the feeding of the population hold their goods back or withdraw them from public gale. In that case the Government would be perfectly justi- fied in commandeering the articles in question--i.e., purchasing them compulsorily from the holders at a fixed price and then dis- tributing them according to the needs of the population. Merely to inflame men's minds against the operation of the economic laws . of supply and demand by talking vaguely but menacingly about " profiteering " is to mislead the public and put them on a false scent. No doubt at the moment our doctrine is most unpopular, and we may expect the lamppost for advancing it ; but it is nevertheless the, truth, witness what happened in connexion with the potatoes. If it is established that the shortage of necessary food is so great that people are in danger of dying of starvation, then instead of calling each other names and talking about " hidden hands " and " profiteering," let us pool our food supplies and dis- tribute them equally. In any case, the Prime '_Minister, having used the word " profiteering," ought to tell us what he means by it.
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