HOW WAR WOULD INTENSIFY POVERTY 201 



AViFAT THE Government PtEPORT Discloses 



This Iie})ort furnishes much information which is not only 

 interesting but intensely thrilling. It not only discloses the 

 fact that more than funr-fiftlis of the "svlieat consumed in 

 the United Kingdom comes from foreign countries, but that 

 the 'individual ex2)cnditiire on food imported from abroad has 

 'practicalbj trebled durinrj the last ftftij years. For the seven 

 years 1859-65 the expenditure per head of the ])0])ulation was 

 £1 2.S. 2d. For the last seven years it was £3 4s-. 1 hi. 



These foods included meat, cheese, butter, eggs, vegetables, 

 fruit and — vaheat ! 



Now it is clear enough to the average mind that, given a 

 state of war, the price of corn would not so much depend upon 

 our su])remacy at sea as upon other factors, which, conceivably, 

 may be less under our control than the command of the great 

 ocean water-ways. 



There is, as we have just ])ointed out, considerable difference 

 of opinion even among our admirals, as to whether we could or 

 could not effectually protect our merchant ships if we were at 

 war with a powerful foe — there is, however, but one opinion in 

 regard to our country being entirely at the mercy of that foe in 

 respect to buying and holding u[) food su])plies. 



The People should fear " Cornerers " and Speculators 



There is no doubt about our being at the mercy of every 

 speculator or group of speculators in this country and in 

 America, who would remorselessly use their millions in 

 "cornering" M'hcat and every other article of food consump- 

 tion besides, provided they could make money out of their 

 transactions. The Chicago "Corner" of Z. A. Patten, in 

 A])ril of this year, affords the latest example of these villainous 

 tiMUsactinns. 



And this also is true, that they would carry on their 

 "cornering" transactions to tlie bitter end, quite irrespective 

 of the fact that their operations were reducing the i)eople 

 of this country to literal starvation, and causing widespread 

 misery and death to thousands of unoffending men, women, 

 and children — innocent people who had never done harm or 

 injury to tliis ])lutocratic grouj) of merciless financiers. 



It is furthermore beyond disi»ute that if tliese millionaire 

 commercial operators — whether they be T^nglish or Americans 

 — had met together in secret conclave to devise the best and 



