Friday 18 February 1916
Shipley MP warns against neglecting industry
Shipley MP Oswald Partington
warned the government not to take
too many men away from industry or
the country would not be able to
afford to fight the war.
‘We are willing to grant any number
of men the government think
necessary but we must at the same
time keep an eye upon the industries
of the country,’ he said.
The warning came in a wide-ranging
speech to the Liberal Club in Saltaire,
given shortly after Mr Partington had
been appointed to the Royal
Commission on Restricted Imports.
He explained that the commission’s
job was to decide which imports were
necessary faced with the massive
shortage of mercantile shipping
which had been diverted to provide
food, materials and munitions to the
war effort.
Huge profits
One reason why food was costing so
much was because of the shortage of
shipping. Ship owners were able to
ask any price they like for the
conveyance of goods.
Freight costs had gone up by leaps
and bounds, some by 1,000 per cent,
and ship owners were making huge
profits despite being taxed at 50 per
cent on excess profits.
Among the products being halted
were paper, fruit and tobacco, though
Mr Partington sought to assure his
audience they ‘needn’t be down-
hearted about that because it was said
there is two years’ supply of tobacco
in the country.’
He moved on to his main theme,
saying that while the country was
doing well in the fighting and their
position wasn’t nearly as perilous as
in Germany, where they were
desperately short of food, he was
concerned about the financial
situation.
‘If the government continue to take
men away from business, the
financial situation is going to become
serious in this country.
‘Mr Runciman, President of the
Board of Trade, said before
Christmas when we were voting
another million men, that in his
opinion trade could stand it if it was
carefully worked.
‘A million men taken out of our
industries now, when everybody
wanted workmen, when our docks
are blocked because there are no men
to deliver the goods and no men to
work the railways, will create a
serious situation.
‘We ought not to leave this question
entirely in the hands of the War
Office. We do not want the War
Office to get entire control of this
country. They seem to have no idea
of the value of money and from the
manner in which they spend it, they
might think it grew under a
gooseberry bush instead of it having
to be worked for very hard indeed.
‘We should not take too many men
away from our industries. When all is
said and done we cannot carry on a
war unless we are able to pay our
way.
Five millions
‘This war is costing us five millions a
day. We have voted another million
men and the Prime Minister has told
us that each soldier cost the country
£300 a year. Before the war finishes
it will be costing us six millions a
day.
Not only that, we have lent our Allies
450 millions and our Allies cannot
keep on unless we lend them money.
‘We are buying millions and millions
of pounds worth of goods from
America and foreign imports are
coming into this country in the shape
of munitions and food and raw
materials. It has all to be paid for.
‘We cannot fight a war on capital
alone. If we keep on taking too
many men from our industries we
shall cripple not only the home trade
but also the export trade which is an
absolute necessity to carry war to a
satisfactory conclusion.’
Turning to the Military Service Bill,
he explained that while he was not
someone who wanted to increase the
size of the army more than
necessary, he had voted for it
because ‘this war is different from
any previous war and we have got to
make great sacrifices, so great in
fact as to sacrifice voluntarism and
accept compulsion.
Colossal sacrifices
‘I don’t like compulsory service but
when the greatest statesmen we
have in this country say that they
cannot obtain the men required to
bring the war to a successful issue
except by compelling the remaining
unmarried men to attest, I feel that I
have no other course but to follow
their lead.
‘We have made some colossal
sacrifices and have lost some of the
best blood of the country. We cannot
now afford to throw up the sponge
and say we can do no more.’
He concluded: ‘On more than one
occasion the Prime Minister has
pledged this country to win. He told
Belgium that we had got to restore
that country to its inheritance.
‘This pledge was given with the
approval of everybody in this
country and for the sake of Europe,
for the sake of our children and our
children’s children, we must see that
that pledge is honoured.’
‘We do not want the War Office to get entire control of
this country. They seem to have no idea of the value of
money and from the manner in which they spend it, they
might think it grew under a gooseberry bush instead of it
having to be worked for very hard indeed’
Shipley MP Oswald Partington
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‘For the time being, until they get
accustomed to the workings of the
various beats, each man is
accompanied by a police officer.’
Temperance medal
Saltaire Primitive Methodist Church held two notable services, reported in
some detail by the Shipley Times & Express.
The church was celebrating the completion
of 30 years’ service by organist Seth Heaton
(left) who had taken up the position shortly
after moving to Shipley from Queensbury.
Mr Heaton was also a trustee of the church
and Sunday School, gave piano lessons and
was ‘always willing to lend a hand in
promoting concerts when they are for a
good cause.’
The reporter noted: ‘It is recognised by
those capable of judging that his voluntaries
are no mere “time fillers” while the
collection is being taken but rather does he
seek to reveal the soul of the organ in the
harmonies of which the king of instruments
is capable.’
That Sunday’s services were also notable for the visit of ‘Miss Elsie Bicheno,
who as an elocutionist has attained a reputation which is becoming national.
Fine interpretation
‘Miss Bicheno’s portrayal of the story of “Ruth and Naomi” (which taken from
the merely literary standpoint, has no peer in any writing, either ancient or
modern), was remarkably fine and most marked contrast to the manner in
which it is usually read from the scriptures.
‘Miss Bicheno also gave a fine interpretation of the defence which Paul made
when standing on his trial before Agrippa.
‘The services were crowned by the expositions of Biblical truths by the Rev
Henry Taylor. Mr Albert Carpenter, the choirmaster, who was in good voice,
sang “Waft her, angels,” the scriptural setting of which was described by Mr
Taylor. Miss Taylor also showed to advantage in a solo.’
Organist’s celebration
enhanced
by Miss Bicheno’s
eloquence