238 OUR ENGLISH LAND MUDDLE. 



' We do not apprehend that any situation 

 is likely to arise in which there would be a 

 risk of the actual starvation of our popula- 

 tion into submission. But we do regard 

 with much concern the effect of war upon 

 prices, and especially, therefore, on the con- 

 dition of the poorer classes ; for they will 

 be the first to feel the pinch, and it is on 

 them will fall the strain of increased prices. 

 So far as concerns what we have referred to 

 as the economic rise of prices — that is, the 

 increase likely to be produced by the en- 

 hanced cost of transport and insurance in 

 time of war — we consider that the addi- 

 tion to the price of commodities under 

 this head will be covered by a moderate 

 percentage on their ordinary cost, and we 

 believe that even this moderate increase 

 might to a large extent be obviated by the 

 adoption of a scheme of national indemnity. 

 " At the same time, it seems to us that it 

 would be unwise to disregard the dangers 

 that might accrue from what we have de- 

 scribed as the ' panic ' rise of prices of staple 

 articles of food, which might take place in 



