HOW WAR WOULD INTENSIFY POVERTY 197 



this u'onl^l be tlic most effectual method of brin^an.f^ En.c,dan(I (luiekly 

 to her knees, it is more tliaii probaljle that such a course would be 

 followed." * 



" Think what it means for the whole population of England and 

 Wales to be entirely dependent uiion ,i(rain-carryin<j: ships bringing 

 wheat over the sea for the daily bread of this great population. 



" Not much imagination is needed to see that such a condition is 

 full of national danger, not only in time of a quite possible war, but 

 also in times of peace. . . . And he would be a bold man to deny 

 to the vast power of financial trusts, constantly developing, the 

 possibility of gaining a similar control over the price of wheat sold 

 in England. And in time of war, the simplest tactics of an enemy 

 would be to harry our food supplies, and so starve us out in a few 

 weeks. And these tactics would be relatively easy because our Navy 

 would have to be guarding our great and exposed coast-line against 

 military invasion." f 



The Mischief of Crass Tgnoiiaxce 



The mischief is that hardly a mau in ten thousand ever 

 takes the trouble to th'uilu svch questions out for himself ; indeed, 

 ho ]n'ciers not to think about such matters at all ; they are 

 unpleasant, and as he can do no good — at least so he thinks— 

 by bothering himself over them, he dismisses them and proceeds 

 to the consideration of pleasanter, and, as he believes, more 

 profitable questions. 



This ostrich-like attitude is, however, destined to be rudely 

 disturbed ; moreover, it is not only a cowardly attitude but the 

 most unprofitable one that could possibly be assumed. 



Every schoolboy, even, knows that war time otters the rarest 

 opportunity for the cupidity of every man engaged in trade of 

 whatsoever description, and he never fails to take the fullest 

 opportunity of it. He knows full well that war is cataclysmic 

 in its effects, and that practically every economic condition is 

 upset and dislocated. It is, indeed, a golden o])i)ortunity, and 

 every tradesman and merchant in the kingdom takes the fullest 

 advantage of the occasion and, in the slang of the period — 

 " runs the show for all it's worth." 



The recent experiences of the South African war teach us 

 that when war breaks out, even in remote parts of the Empire, 

 markets at once become disturbed, " corners " are formed, 

 sui)plie3 are " held up," and prices advance all along the line. 



The writer remembers going into a shop to buy some silk 



* "Our National Teril," Ernest E. Williams; Windsor Magazine, April, 

 1902. 



t " British Agriciiltiu'c and Tarifi Reform," John Holt Schooling ; Windsor 

 Magazine, .\ugu.jt, 1908. 



