FAMINE WITH PLENTY IN
.. RUSSIA.
THE PROBLEM OF DISTRIBUTION.
[FROM A CORRESPONDENT TO THE TIMES "
IN RUSSIA)
Russia is experienoing famine in the midst of plenty. This may be paradox, but it is also the truth. The dictionary deanos famine as a scarcity of food;
No general want of provisions." definition could fit the facts more appro- priately. The scarcity of food, the general want of provisions, is the ono thing felt, the one thing talked of throughout the land. In the home circle, in society, in tram and train, in office and factory, in a word, everywhere where) people meet, it is the one subject of conversation,
Last summer the poorer people took up their positions outside the Petrograd municipal mont shops at 10 o'clock in the evening. The sun had hardly set. over the Elagin Island, where fashion- and wealth onjoyed their ease and the wonders of the white nights, before the poor, basket in hand, began their weary vigil. Some waited 10 and 12 hours for
morsel of meat, which, in no case, exceeded three Russian pounds. Since then we have seen queues become the rule -for meat, for bread, for milk, for vegetables, for sugar people wait in long *tails.” Rich and poor participate in them, the latter in pereon, the former by proxy through their servants. police forbid the assembling of these taile" before & a.m., kat promptitude has to be observed if provisions are to be obtained" And now, with the thermome ter sometimes at 20 below zero Fahrenheit, people have to wait hours outside cach shop to get daily necessities,
The
The difficulty of making an inadequate. railway system stand the double strain. of ordinary distribution the popula
tion and the tremendous special calls arising out of the war might be some sort of an excuse for these prevailing conditions in Petrograd and Moscow. .But it the same throughout the coun". try. The writer of this article saw at 5 o'clock in the morning on a day in last "tail" of more than 1,200 November, a people outside the co-operative shop for railway employees at Kosloff in the government of Tamboff, waiting for white flour. Kosloff had then been with out flour for 10 days, though quite balf a dozen of the largest flour mills in Russia are within a 250 miles radius of thy town.
LACK OF ORGANIZATION.
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, SATURDAY, MARCH 17TH, 1017.
BRITISH HOSPITAL SHIPS
TO BE SUNK.
REPRISALS THREATENED.
In reply to Germany's announcement that our hospital altius engaged on the Chauno, routes are to be treated se war- ships, the British Foreign Office has issued the following statement:
The German Government announce that "they have conclusivo proof that in several instances enemy hospital ships have often bean misused for the transport of munitions and troops.
71
TAXATION SQF CAPITAL.
SUBMARINE MENACE.
VIEWS OF MR G, BERNARD SHAW. OPTIMISTIC SHIPPING MAGNATE.
In a letter to The Times recently Mr. George Bernard Shaw wrote:---
CLARKE'S CIRQUE
AT KOWLOON, OPPOSITE THE RAILWAY STATION (No site being available in HONGKONG),
The FIRST PERFORMANCE ON MONDAY NEXT.
1o 9.15 P.M.
Sir Owen C. Philipps, M.P.; K.C.M.G.,
toned that the tiation of taxing capital Germans appeared to think, he said, that In my former communication I mon- speaking at Crewe recently, referred to
the German submarine campaign. generally, though illusory, was reason- able compared to the existing practice of they were going to win the wat by in same income, and exacting from need. As a shipowner he might tell them taking two citizens with precisely the terfering with our food ships The sub- marine menace must not be lightly regard bearable percentage of that income whilst that his company had 300 valuable vessels compelling the other to pay the whole of it twice over. This remark seems to have constantly in and out of the danger zone, and while they had suffered the loss of to some of your
correspondents,
many
fine ships, he was not at all dis-
They also state that they have placed even my new disciple, Mr. Mariposed to take a panicky or despondent
I
riott, that a
Mr. Marriott is quite right in his contention that it would
it as possible.
depreciation id the
these proofs, through channels, before the British and [**** French Governments, and have, at te same time, declared that traffic of ho pital ships on the military routes for the forces fighting in France and Belgium, within a line drawn between Flamborough Head and Terschelling of the one hand and from Ushant to Land's End on the other, will no longer be tolerated.
His Majesty's Government have received
such communication through diplomatic channels, or other wise, from the German Government, as is alleged, and they most emphati cally deny that British hospital ships have been used for the transport of munitions and troops, or in any way contrary to The Hague Convention for
no
there is something more Fundamental in July, 1918, the tonnago way 20,463,02%
BRILLIANT ASSEMBLY OF ARTISTES EVER BROUGHT TOGETHER
THE MOST
ALL
MESDAMES
CLARKE,
BENNETT, ALEXIMEE. MARTINEZ,
BENOSARD,
AND GIACOGI
EUROPEANS
FIRST VISIT TO HONGKONG.
to cut down our mercantile fleet, but he the total gross toninge of ships under the could tell them that while in July, 1914, British flag amounted to 20,623,000 tons. In other words after two years of war, the total net reduction of British tonnage was 59,620 tons It would take a very long time at this rate of The company of which he was the chair- man was the first to arm voluntarily their ships.. He did not believe this would WEDNESDAY, falarm, passengers
progress
values for example), I gues (land to destroy the British mercantile marine.
in that phenomenon than mere deprecia- tion; and since there seems to be some danger that an attempt at it may be mede, either directly or in the guise of what is called taxation of
try to make the situation even clearer than Mr Marrioto has left it. AENEAN
There is is one thing that the most
ener getic Government of practical business men cannot do even if its omission meanz defeat in the field; and that is, take from
citizen within the space of a financial: year what he does not possess and can- pot procure because it does not exist and cannot within that period be
the adaptation of the principles of the ente that to be self-evident, quced,
Geneva Convention to maritime war.
Under the Convention belligerenta have the right to search hospital ships, and the German Government have - therefore, an obvious remedy in case
of suspicion-a remedy which they have never utilized
From the German Government's
$
UNCLAIMED | TELEGRAMS.
The following is a list of unclaimed telegram: lying in the Eastern Extension, Australann nac China Telegraph Company's office at Hong- kong
ADDRESS
FROM
Now let me Bak, What is a millionaire capitalist 7 Many people think he is a man with a million pounds in his pocket. He is not: he is only man with £50,0 a year. Tax his million at the current rate of 58 in the pound income tax plus Abjook, 162, Quora's Rd., W, Chlautte 38. Ed. supertas, and the collector will demand from him more than
eight times
Chamindrapray,
statement that hospital ships will no his entire income for the year-three hun-ubai, co Yan Kee. 274,
longer bo tolerated within the limits
the intention
He will
dred thousand odd pounds.
"I haven't got it."... But the
DES Antilochas
BAD goos
Bangkok
Zan Company... Harzobis, Houstong Hotel Shafal
Hagkong Hatel
Bingapore Shanghat Cheton ... Panama
fhristchurch
Penang Manila
mentioned, only one conclusion can be simply reply deal man of business will Fede ico, drawn-mely that it is to add yet stand no nonsense of that, kind. He will other and more unspeakable crimes say, "You haven't got it, but you can against law and humanity to the long get it. All you have to do is to instructing oo Kengwohong... list which disgraces their record.
your stockbroker to sell your income of £50,000 a year, and he will get you a mil- Jack Robin lion for it before you say
In these circumstances his Majesty's Government have requested the United States Government to inform the Ger man Government that his Majesty's
Government have decided that if the threat is carried out reprints will immediately be taken by the British authorities concerned,
can
to-day is the want of organization and visions has borne the whole burden of the result of a general tax on ins
kegan + rekor
... Bels ang
The following unclaimed telegrams ae lying in the Great Northern Telegraph Company's office at Hongkong -
A ADDEUS
FROM
Brasker, Hongkong Hotel... Manila Ah Kang, Binking Menit
Hotel Choraku, Chou, Linhinch Kinles
Amay Amoy Kobe
CHURCH SERVICES.
Fantastic as the operation seeme, it is not impossible under certain conditions. The first is that the millionaire's invest ments have been so widely distributed that he can sell out without throwing upon the market a huge block of shares in any one concarn; a condition that would check mate most of our industrial millionaires, extended west of the line. The Army The second is that all the other million Intendancy, which had previously been aires and investors generally are going the purchasing authority in this district, on just as usual, buying and selling pe BOW became a purely distributing ther more nor less than the average. But organization. The Department of Pro-this is just what would not happen 48
supplying the Armica in the field since All the other capitalists would be July, 1915,
out at the same moment to pay the
and the consequence would be not Br. Jong's Cathedral, merely depreciation, but zero, a total distal Sunday in Len, 16h March, 1917 appearance of the capital values owing to Holy Communion (7.50) Matins, 11 m. the fact that all the capitalists would be Reponses Ferial Venite Tucker; Felma, trying simultaneously to sell to one Ano Bamby, Barnby, Felton and Barat fe Dram, they were the existing produce on which Wood, smart and Furio Cabilare, King (25th
God on for the year, but the
Hymns, 187 God Save the
10 and 17 in lison Palm 51. verses 1, 7, 11 and 16 in unison; Fasim 92 verom 1, 24348 Rod 10 lu saison Holy Campbalun (13 Nock). E song 5 p. Responses, Faris: Palm, 86 (161) moralog); Magnitol, Dapais (25`h morning); Nung Dimittis, Jon-6 (95ta morning); Hymes, 1 (T370), 3 (T360) and 27.
as
were
living
J-Anthem,
The chief thing Russia is suffering from
co-ordination in all measures pertaining to the food supply Probably there is sufficient food in the country to feed the As time went on the deficiency in pro population for the next two years. The visioning the civil population, increased one problem to solve, ie how to distribute The Ministry of Trade and Industry it. Here are a couple of instances well made some attempts to consider the known to the writer. One aid half question Committees were appointed, million poode ($4,100 tons) of rys are but there the matter rested. Now its lying in the elevators of T station efforts bave completely ceased. The Less than 250 miles away by direct rail- Ministry of the Interior also enteered way line is a rye four-mill ut D into the business. It tried to obtain sapacity 30,000 poots of four per day powers to feed the "rear" on the same The mill, though wo ing exclusively for lines as the Ministry of Agriculture Army requirements, a standing still for works in feeding the Army. There were want, of grain. - A mill with large stocks even rumours, a month or six weeks ago of grain situated within two miles of an that M, Protopopoff was likely to succeed oil-deld was unable to work for more in obtaining control of the Department than a month because it was impossible to obtain cistern-cars for bringing the oil fuel from the wells to the mill. These the civil population. The storm of front Yola ttempt. It is flatly maker, Rev E. W. L. Martin. are just ordinary examples of what is indignation thus aroused probably pre- ecurring every day. More glaring vented this theme from being carried instances could be multiplied cut out,
Anatum.
|
DEPARTMENTAL FRICTION.
and many succeeding years as well. Now, Panlon 90, ver es 142
yet non-existent produce of next year even in a world which lives, Le ourg does, mostly from hand to mouth, it may be possible, as an isolated transaction, to sell £30,000 worth of the wheat or coal or hardware of 1913 to a very rich man, be cause he can afford to wait for it. But you cannot put your hand on the entire
of Provisions and the whole business of harvest and output of that year in 1817 supplying food to the Army as well as to 1918 for immediate consumption at the Yet that is exactly what a tax on
possible.. Within certain rather narrow limite
you can deler consumption by tightening your belt. You cannot attici The pate consumption on any terms. wheat must be grown and the bread baked before you can eat it and fight on it. At most you can borrow spare wheat from the current harvest of the neutrala. You-can- not borrow wheat that is not yet sown or grown from anybody,
All necessaries of lilo have risen, except During 1815 the Ministry of the ton, from two to 10 times their former Interior issued an order to Governors to peace prices. Butter, for instance, is devote themselves to the food question eight tunes its former retail price, hav and to delegate all ordinary adminis ing risen from kopeks (101d.) to three tration to their vice Governors. From roulles and 60 kopeka (78. 34d.) per this time onwards each province has had 14 oz-lb. Mutton is 7 times dearer, now its own regulations, mostly at variance Costing Ir. 50k (38) per 14oz.-lb. with its neighbours. Only one rule was Bread of varying quality, instead of the
beautiful white colour of uniform grade for which Russia was famed, costa 2 times more than formerly. In fact the householder's expenses, with all luxuries eug out, with four meatless days per work, and with every effort, to economize, Are now about 4 times what they were in normal peace days.
What we call a capitalist is simply a person for whom we have agreed to car
mark, year after year, a certain share of our national income in consideration of his having deferred consumption of part of hit income at some past period when we needed the spare money for starting cla- borately equipped industries. For a while his
contribution is represented by machines and steel rails and so forth; but they soon wear out, and have to be renew ed out of the income of the concern;
ST. PETER'S CHURCH, West Point, San. day, 18th Marok --- Holy Commocion 8 a.B. Morning Prayer and Sermon, 11 am. ⠀⠀ Pros -
URION CHUROR, K-nandy: Road. Bunday, 18th March Sunday Servicer, Mernity Servine at 11. Hyman, 195 ́9 30 and Evening Hervise at 6. Hymns, 38, 23, Preacher, Ber. J. Kirk 107 and 138. Морскаяніе
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST,
soDonnell Boad. Bunday, 11.15am. Wetnes. tay, 5.30 pm
universally applied that no food of any
probably justify us an doubling the num description could be exported out of one province to another without the permit
ner of trains and abolishing fares. This pseudo-practicality is precisely of the of the exporting province's Governor.
kind that may lead its possessors te con- The confusion of such a regulation can
clude that because an isolated individual be understood better if we could imagine
or firm can realize his capital and the Lord-Lieutenant, of Lancashire for bidding food to be sent out of his county
spend it in shooting, a whole nation can to either, say, Yorkshire or Cheshire,
Let us suppose that Sir do the same
Douglas
Hair It becomes increasingly difficult from now onwards to follow to regulations
Hindenburg to Herr Bethmico Hollweg. cozies to Mr. Lloyd George, or General applicable to food. In each province we
Win the assurance that with unlimited have two sets of authorities as repre- then he can sell his claim to X for as much munitions and men he can win the war sented by the delegates of the Ministry, or perhaps more than, it cost him, and And let
add
all
that is left of his advare being his clain
on that Jacoine. The fact that now and
words, you must tax income be
it at
of
the further terrifying
The axing of maximum prices for cerizin necessaries, such as beef, bread, and milk. for retail distribution has not had the full effect desired. While it has kapt prices down to a certain extent, it has undoubtedly diminished the supplies of Agriculture and the representatives of that may as on isolated case upinposit
supposition that the statesman answers Reef is obtainable only after so many the Ministry of the Interior Friesione pressure peculiar to himself, sell to the soldiers as a practical man of business formalities have been complied with that arose all along the inc. but the dele Y, and Y to Z, and Z to A and so on as follows: First, you will understand, the well-to-do have cut it out of their gates of the Ministry of Agriculture had until it has become the subject of a hundred we must win that before everything. household requirements. White bread is the advantage, because they could always multiply it by a hundred nor alter the national income before the war was fresh individual investments, does not Now, as to our resources, let no see. The in greater supply, but it is only to be plead that their work was the more
"tak."
fact that it remains a claim the future estimated at $2,000,000,000, had by waiting several hours in a
important as it concerned the Armies in
How much The same applies to milk. These are the the field. With each succeeding month and not, except as to the current year, prevailing conditions in Petrograd and the scarcity became more apparent. The body of immediately consumable goods, capital does that represent? I will take because, though many In other
& per get Moscow. In provincial towns beef is authorities were faced with an increasing caues there is nothing but income to tax still, as a cautions practical man of busi- uy friends much more than that, more easily obtained and as a lower demand from all over the country, notThe depreciation foreseen by Mr. Mar- From time to time, while milk is commodities, such as kerosene, soap, etc sign of the discovery that, Where there practical man looking facts in the face, prios. White bread appears on sale caly only for food, but also for necessary riott would be the outward and visible uess, I will put it at that moderate figure. I therefore, baing pledged, always as w extremely difficult to procure. This and it should be clearly understood that is latter fact is due to the dependence of these demands are increasing and will noting the Ring loses his rights, to the last shilling of our money and the point is one of pressing importance last drop of our blood, have at my dis provincial towns on supplies from pea continue to increase all the time, because the war has driven us into a pisal £40,000,000,000 ready capital under sants, who now either have no cows or
- DISCLOCATION ON THE RAILWAYS. phase of collectivist netivity which we the hand of the Chancellor of the Exche Consume the milk themselves, while the We have heard much of the breakdown have confided to a great extent to experi- quer. And I daresay I can borrow a lot capitale are applied by large estates in transport. A glance at the map of encod men of individualist business. Not more if the worst comes to the worsh which have escaped up to the present the Russia is sufficient to convince anyone it happens that collectivism has always You can lay your plats accordingly. periodical requisitions of cattle now
of the inadequacy of railway communi- been one of the hobbies of experienced men
Are
satisfied" The soldier points general throughout Russia,
cations. Yet throughout the war the of business who bave made larg fortunes out that to
owing the prodigious impulse railways have supplied the Army with From Robert Owen to Joseph Fels, n
least all that is needed or was available. This string of them might be named A great given to production by the way the na tional income must have at doubled deal was expected from their practical
therefore must good sense and knowledge of men and since 1914, and that the capital now avail he nearer a hundred The statesman congratulates him affairs; but the truth is that in collec- thousand millions than thirty thousand, his failures, with the single exception of practical knowledge of busines, and nd William Morris, who was a post forced mits that that is so. The soldier pre- into business hy the inadequacy of the ceeds to plan his spring offensive on tho people who had devoted their lives to it assumption that he has a hundred thou We already see how the practical man of sand millions ready money to play with business having experience at the fact
In the
ho surrenders at and all the practical statesmen og house by cutting down the office boy' are porn to pics by
infuriated joy rides, infor, that, a. jinblic, eraomantiese mob in Falaen Yard, so can be effected by humpering the locnmo- Let nobody think that this is a tion of the whole nation at a moment when is a quite possible mistake; and if it is to facilitation of transport both for men and bonde at all, I hope it will be made goods has reached & valus that would be the Imperial Chancellor, and not by
(Continued at foot of next column.)
our Prime Minister.
FELDING OF THE ARMY AND THE PEOPLE. The systems, such as it is, that has shows some organization; but it was done
grown up in dealing with the food prob- at the expense of starving, trafle to the tem goes back to the first weeks of the capitals and large provincial towns tivism they were all incorrigible Utopian war, when the Ministry of Agriculture With thorough, or even partially, efficient was given the necessary powers and organisation the great towng and manu- credits for foeding the Armies in the facturing centres could have been sup Geld. A special Department was created plied with all necessities in sufficient ad hoc-viz. the Otdiel Zagotovok, the quantities if ordinary care had been Department of Provisions. It was taken in the use of goods tracks. The divided into two auh-departments, one useless mileage. covered by goods cars is that an economy can be effected in a counts discretion of aftry, dealing with meat, fats, and hay the grave contributory cause to the genera other with flour, corn, vegetables, etc. state of dislocation. If this were felis Until July, 1915, its operation, were con- minated, the eaving made would go a fined east of a line roughly drawn from long way towards Tunking up the de- Petrograd to Nicolaieff on the Black Sea Eciency in transport and would go a After that date its operations were still longer way in helping to solve the ⠀⠀ (Continued oz foot of nezt Gelúmn.) problem of food scarcity generally.
од
t
[104]
MESSRS
-MULDOON (The Solid Man),
MARTINEZ,
"BOBLES.
COSGRAVE,
BOWLER
CLARKE,
MULLIGAN,
VINCENT AND MORIS.
Afternoon Performances:- SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, Children Half Price.
MOTHER
P.M. AT 5.30
SEIGEL'S SYRUP
There are many things which may cause the digestive system to break down, but whatever the cause, you must restore your stomach, liver and bowels -the principal organs of digestion-to thorough working order.
" FOR YOU.
The "Very Thing"
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possess, in ร remarkable degree, the power of toning and strengthening the stomach and regulating the action of the liver and bowels, Thus
it prevents, and, removes such troubles as biliousness, pains after eating, flatulence, headaches and constipation.
IF YOU SUFFER FROM
INDIGESTION
MATOVA
Grade
Mark
SHIRTS MADE TO MEASURE.
MR. K. TAKAHASHI,
REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE YAMATOYA SHIRT CO..
[409
139
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Orders taken for Shirts, Col ars, Pyjamas, Underwear, &an, &c.
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[404
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