8 THE GREAT WAR 



agriculture should be singled out for State aid 

 any more than other industries. The answer is 

 a simple one. Aid given to a grocer, for instance, 

 does not create trade, it only enables him to com- 

 pete with other grocers and to take part of their 

 trade. With regard to agriculture, however, the 

 case is different. State aid to develop it creates 

 entirely new trade for this country by supplying 

 the market of a fabulous value which lies at 

 our doors and which is now exploited by the 

 foreigner. This involves competition with no 

 one except with the oversea producers. The 

 present writer's contentions equally apply to 

 many private efforts. The " Lord Koberts' 

 Memorial Fund " for disabled soldiers, for ex- 

 ample, amounts at the time of writing to above 

 50,000. It is understood that the Committee 

 in charge of the Fund propose to erect factories 

 or workshops for the employment of the soldiers. 

 On reflection it is to be hoped that the Committee 

 will see that it would be a waste of money to 

 adopt a policy of this kind, and would dissipate 

 the Fund in their charge. A boot factory, for 

 instance, established in this way would create no 

 fresh demand for boots. It could only succeed 

 by taking trade from factories already existing. 



