_LONDON, April 14.--The Times says this morning:_
An important step has at last been taken by the Government toward the
solution of the supreme problem of the moment--the organization of the
national output of munitions of war. A strong committee has been
appointed, with full power to deal with the question. It is to be
representative of not merely one department but of the Treasury,
Admiralty, War Office, and Board of Trade; in short, of the whole
Government, with all its resources and authority.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is to be Chairman, and the first meeting
will be held today.
The work before the committee is nothing less than the organization of
the whole resources of the nation for the production of materials of
war. Hitherto, in spite of many warnings and some half-hearted attempts
at organization, there has been no central, co-ordinated authority.
It is an open secret that it was during Lloyd George's visit to France
at the beginning of the year that he first appreciated the scientific
organization of labor which our Allies had already achieved. Not content
with utilizing and extending the existing armament plant, the French
have long since diverted several temporarily irrelevant industries to
the main business of waging war.
_With reference to the drink problem The Times says:_
While the Government is apparently considering the expropriation of all
the licensed houses in the kingdom, this far-reaching proposal has not
at present gone beyond the stage of inquiry and consultation, and it is
tolerably certain that it will go no farther unless it is assured of no
serious opposition in the country.
The Parliamentary Opposition, the leaders of which have been consulted
in a general way, are believed to stand by the principle which they
followed since the war began, namely: They are not prepared to quarrel
with any measure which the Government regards as necessary for the
active prosecution of the war so long as no injustice is done to
established interests.