Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

12 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

..-MOTES OF THE WEEK

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Rhannu

MOTES OF THE WEEK A cartoon in The Covenankr" of J nne last, by Raven Hill, is strangely prophetic. It shows Britannia gagged and bound to a ft-ake by the Parliament Act, Asquith holding the dagger of ilome Rule to her breast in fear and trembling, Redmond pointing the pistol of Irish votes at his back, and he in turn threatened from behind by an Irish-American with the six-shooter Ameri- can Dollars." Such is Asquith's position now even in the presence of European War. What might easily have happened had we listened to t sleep-safely-in-vour-beds party and neglected oar navy even more than we have, has been well pictured by naval experts. It would be something like this:—Almost before we knew that war was declared the German warships were scour- ing the high seas. The trans-atlantic cables were cut by the enemy and communication with our Colonies and America was severed. The outside world was shut off, and at one stroke we were thrown back two hundred years. All our merchant shipping was held up, or else so seriously hampered that our supply of food became tardy. Five-sixths of the population of these islands were now fed on imported wheat, and were therefore dependent upon what is brought here over sea. The price of bread went up to Is. and over for a .|iru tern loal which, to some parts of the kingdom, meant abso- lute starvation. Owing to def en t at t-ea these islands were darkness, and we did not- even know what was happening to u.«. We did not know until we. saw them that the German hordes were in our country, and did not think it possible that any army would descend to the vandalism of blowing Westminster Abbey to cinders until we saw it in ruins. That is what might easily have hap- pened if we had followed the advice of men who did not know that Germany had for the last two generations been hoping and preparing for this de- vastating war!" At the meeting helct at the Guildhall. London, with which the Parliamentary Recruiting Cam- paign was opened, Mr. Bonar Law emphasised an urgent need which was not dealt with in ifye speech of the Prime Minister. The Unionist Leader declared that when our soldiers and sailors "risk their lives they are making a big enough sacrifice," and asked that every possible generosity at the expense of those who remain should be extended to those who go out to fight.7 The Liberal Daily Chronicle" has expressed its desire "to give a word of thanks to the Opposition Leaders. Mr. Bonar Law and Mr. Walter Long for the sound and vigorous a4titude they take up on the ques- tion of the nation's discharging its financial debt towards those who fight its battles and towards their dependents." It is to be hoped that the Government will speedily complete the necessary improvements in this important direction. Commenting upon the Government's delay in suitably applying Mr. Bonar Law's just and bene- ficial suggestion, and enabling the nation to dis- charge its financial debt towards those who fight its battles." "The Daily Herald," the organ of the London Socialists, observes that the need for action in this direction "has been said in the Guildhall by Mr. Bonar Law. It has been timidly suggested in the House of Commons by Mr. J. H. Thomas, let us assure them that the whole force of public opinion is behind them in their demand." Of the soldier "The Daily Herald remarks" People sing his praises. They talk easily of his courage and determination. His exploits at Mons aw in everyone's mouth. Yet. like the time-honoured Englishman, we want the maximum satisfaction at the. minimum outlay. Mr. Asquith made a long statement in the House of Commons last week about the Army. There was no single sentence in all he said which showed a realisation that the soldier is ordinary humanity like the rest of us. He wants to see his wife and children comfortably housed just as much as Mr. Asquith wants to see his wife and children comfortably housed in Down- ing-street. The soldier cannot humanly give of his best when those upon whom he depends do not give him of their hest. Just at presijit h, is far more I important than the average member of Parliament. Yet the scale of wages is not even approximately adjusted to value. We are paying a large number men four hundred pounds a veur to cheer the Prime Minister and his colleagues. Surely a pound a, week can be paid to the man who is: carrying their will into effect. Britain saya she wants men. Then let her have the will to pay for them. It may add to the bill, but comparatively to its size the increase will be infinitesimal. English govern- ment must not be made dependent upon the charity of the rich." The news of the splendid victories which marked the progress of the Allies' offensive action against the Germans was received in London quietly and almost, it would seem to those not acquainted with the British character, without enthusiasm. But although there has been no "maffiking," no fer- vent demonstrations of any kind in fact, the un- broken successes which have attended the Franco- British arms sinoe the German advance was checked have had a remarkably cheering effect upon even the mot pessimistic people. Now. while there is little disposition to revert to the earlier and foolish belief that the war will be a matter of months or even weeks, it is felt that the Kaiser's legions have sustained a blow which is bound to affect the duration of hostilities. With the Russian armies sweeping all before them in the eastern theatre of war, and the Allies driving a demoral- ised enemy back across the frontier, the opinion is widely expressed that the Germans have lost all possible chance of ultimate suocess on land. What would please the public more than anything else at the present time would be the news of decisive British victory at sea. The immensely important and valuable work now being accomplished by the Fleet is not realised by many people, to whom success can only be measured in terms of sunken German Dreadnoughts, cruisers, and submarines. The establishment on a large scale of the beet- sugar industry in this country, which appears one of the most probable results of the present war, will, it is stated, lead to other benefits to farmers besides the obvious one of giving them a new and lucrative crop to grow. It appears uiat the dried residue of beet after it has been treated at the r (,si I sugar faotory makes an excellent form of cattle food. This sugar-pulp has been found by analysis to contain 68.8 per cent, of carbo-hydrates, in- cluding sugar. The great nutritive value of sugar is, of course, universally accepted, and farmers. who have already tried this now sugar food for their stock, are loud in their praises. They claim that their horses do more work, their cows give more milk, and their bullocks attain greater weight sinoe they have been fed with it. The most satis- factory feature of all is, however, the low price of this new food. At j34 10s. a ton, which is the present price quoted at the Cantley Factory in Norfolk, it compares most favourably with linseed- cake at JS9 5s., barley-meal at £ 10, or bean-meal at E7 5s. The low price of this sugar-pulp is, of course, due to the mutuality of interest which exists between the sugar manufacturer and the far- mer. The former depends upon the latter to supply his beet, and in return for having his fac- tory kept busy, lie is willing to sell back its resi- duary product cheap. The farmer, who grows sugar-beet and feeds sugar pulp. thus obtains not only a good price for his crop, but also gets a re- bate in his feeding bill.

. SOCIETY AND PERSONAL

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Advertising

AN OPEN LETTER

THE GOVERNMENT'S BETRAYAL

LAUGHARNE NOTES

HOW BENGER'S FOOD IS SELF-DIGESTIVE

—.-LLANGUNNOR

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