7 MARCH 1941, Page 3

The new measures introduced by Mr. Oliver Lyttelton are inevitable

and overdue. But of course they raise a crop of questions. The idea of concentrating production in the most efficient units is not new. It was done before the war both in steel and shipping, in the latter ruthlessly, with the help of the Bank of England. In the case of cotton there has been ceaseless disagreement over method. But the general principle in each case was that the industry itself was best able to per- form this delicate operation. It is still delicate, because opinions differ on which are the most efficient units. The State will have to be more than in umpire in such a momentous under- taking. The House will not quarrel with any methods which will increase production.