ISSUES FOR SATURDAY, J.AIIJlJARY 6th, 1940• - i i RELEASE I SUBJECTI NO. ORIGIN TIME I 8 aom. 1. Life hangs by Silken Air Affairs Threadso Posted 2. French Official Paris by phone 9o 55 aam. Communique (Morning) Royal Navy Casualty List Admiralty (For publication Monday morning). l2e25 porno 3o - Empire Af'fµirs Sierra Leone Red Cross Gift from12. 40 p.m. 4. B. B. c,. fy.!r. w.s. Morrison's Broadcast Speech on Rationing 4o55 p~mo 5. Feeding Stuffs Order Uinistry of Food (Maximum Prices) 8. p.m. 6. I Meat & Livestock 7. 3.55 porn. Ministry of Food Control Scheme ~ 5o 10 p.m,, 8.. Retail Price o:f .::>ugar Ministry of Food Read out Frer.ch Official 9. Paris by phone 8Q39 p~m(' Oomm1mig_ue (Evening) ,__. 8-:i 25 p, m, 10, Foreign Secretary at Air Affairs Fighter Command I ·-· ' AIR MINISTRY BULLETIN 6/1/40 -No. 1 LIFE HANGS BY SILIC.;;}T 'rHRE.ADS (Not to be quoted as an Air Ministry Announcement.) No job in the Royal Air Force demands more exactness than the folding of a parachute. Every ;)ilot 1'..nows that his life may one day depend on the way the work has been done. The young H.A.A.F. corporal in charge of the para.chute section at one fighter station explained the method of working as follows:­ "Accuracy is the first essentialo \Je work as fast as we can, but there is no time limit.. Whenever we fold a parachute we have to think of the load it may one day carry. · "·Our training is very thorough. We have an intensive course for a week or so, then a memory test on what we have been taught, and. then we are given an hour and a half to fold a parachute under supervision. A fortnight later comes a speed test, and most of us are expected to fold a parachute within the half-hour. "Speed is only demanded during the period of training. After every test the parachute is unfolded again in case there may have been mistakes.u The W.A.A.F. corporal gave a demonstration. A parachute vvas stretched out on a 40-feet long table~ the ''It is rather like folding an umbrella", same principle of bringing the folds toge she said. ther." "You apply The parachute was hooked over the end of a table. The silk folds stretched down, and then came the long "·rigging lines" which reach from the "·container" right round the parachute itself. The Corporal folded one panel over another, and placed bags con­taining lead-shot on the folds to keep them flat on the table. Her fingers worked nimbly, first folding t welve folds on one side, then the t welve on the other. When each set of t welve folds was complete, one was placed 0n the other. The rigging lines were drawn carefully doi.vn so that they could be placed into t he rigging line pockets in the container itself. This operation was peri'ormed with a rigging hook which resembles a large button-hook~ Finally, the carefully foldea. panels of the parachute were placed i n the container, the a~xiliary parachute going in last, with its spring fraraei,.-rork automat i cally released when the rip-cord of the parachute is pulled i n the air. "After working on pa:..,achutes for several months, I would not mind making a descent myself", the corporal stdd. "I know the care with which they are folded9 Moreover, every ten days each parachute is opened, washed and dried f er 48 hours. Having been carefully ex­amined for possible darnage, it is folded again for further service. She added: "My fi ance is a :pilot, and every t ime I fold a parachute I i magine it i s going to be woi->n l)y him, and that he might need it." ---oOo--­ AIR MIN ISTRY .KING CHARLES STREET, WHITEHALL o S. W. 1. 6. 1 • 40 No. 2. FRENGH OFFICI/\L COHMUJ'HCJ,tlT'.3. The following official communique was issued this morning from French G.H.Q:­ Usual patrol and artillery activity. ------oOo-----­ 6.1 .40 No. 3. NOT TO RE DUBLISH"RD OR RROJ'.DG/\ C:T B:P.FORE 1 .t\. M. ( 0100 G. M. T, ) MONDAY 8TH J ANUt\ RY. The Secretary of the Admiralty regrets to announce t hat following casualties amongst officers and men of the Naval Service. These names, in addition to those already published in previous lists, represent all naval casualties up to 14th December. The casualties shown herein arise from the various hazards of ser vice in war and are not related to any narticular ship or action. The next of kin were in all cases informed at the time. OFFI CERS. Prisoners of War :­Lieutenant G.B.K. Griffiths, R.M. Lieutenant R.P. Thurston, R.N. Kill ed:­Acting Sub-Lieutenant (A) P.T. Bethell, R.N. Mi dshipman (A) J . C. Casey, R.N. Acting Sub-Lieutenant (A) D. Co"f;)sey, R. N. Lieutenant (A) R.H.M. Heriot-Hill, R. N. Midshi~man (A ) R. M. B. Kettle, R.N. Acting Sub-Lieutenant (A) M. R. Pike, R.N. Acting ·::.Jub-L:Leutenant (.JA \ E. S. Woodford, R. N. Missin~ . Believed kilied:­ Li eut enant (A) 8. i.1. Bird, R. N. Lieutenant C.H.E. Osmaston, R. N. Lieutenant W.A.H. n1ayfair, R.N. Sub-Lieutenant (A) H. J\. Wheatman, R.N. Di ed of Wounds: ­Lieutenant Corn.mander N •. J . Cr ossley, R. N. Di ed:­Ski nner C. T. Frith , R. N". R . .I. •. < Ac t i ng Lieutenant H. L. Loring , R. N. Cadet D. \.E. St ewart-Cox, R. N. Wounded: ­ Sub-Li euten2nt ~.A . Brereton, R.NoR. Li eutenant-Commander (F:) F.S . Ferguson, R.N. Commander L. Griffiths, R. N. R. \. RATINGS. Killed:­ Allcorn,H.R. An.tliffe, Alexander, Arnold, A.s. Bal.dwin, R. Berry,W. Borroff, E.F. Butlin,J. Carlson., Char.1.es .• Church, R.T. CJlark,. E.T. Clark,. T.E. Clark, R.w.w. Gook, VVilliam. Co>wan, Stanley. Cross, W.G. Disso:µ, T,E. ,.· _.,•" Exall, Thomas~ Faver, W, Fouracre, E •. G. Golding, A,J. Gough, Harold. Gray, Thomas, Guilfoyle, Maurice. Hay, Samuel, · Heyburn, R;E. Holliday, WJ.• Horrell, H.H. -2 ­ Chief Petty Officer. Acting Petty Officer. Able Seaman, R.F.R. Signalman. Able Seaman. Able Seaman,· R.F.R. Chief Yeoman Signals, R.N.V.R. Able Seaman. ELectrical Artificer, Petty Officer ·writer, Petty Officer Airman Petty Officer TelegPaphist. Able Seaman, R.F.R. Able Seaman.. Officers cook, 2nd Class. Able S~aman, R.F .R. . Chi-e.i.' _ ..Eleo-t.:rtical Artificer. 1 st Ch..s.:s.• Stoker 1st Class. Able Seaman, R.F.R. Joiner. Bandmaster 2nd Class. Able Seaman, R.N.V,R. Chief Petty Officer Cook. Able Seaman, R,N,V.R. Able Seaman, R.N.V.R. Ldg,Sea. Marine, Chief Stoker. C/J,102391 D/JX.133709. C/B.21784 C/SSX~15380. C/JX.125944. C/B.22282, BD.416, D/J.33327, D/MX.59361. D/MX,483.04. C/JX, 13~876. D/3.,106711 , D/J·. 70505. P/JX.152.626. P/LX. 21156.• C/B. 23'1 68. D/MX,. 59968 • D/kX.88719, C/B, 23272~ D/MX. 52.544• RMB.2745. MD/X.2.135. D/M,37969, MD/X, 2111, MD/X,1975. P/Jx.136953. P0/21 231 O, D/KX.58583;, Howes, K,J, •••• ~ •• 3 RATINGS. Killed:-Howes, K.J. Jones, F.J. Le FeVT'-e, V. C. Lowe, S.G. Lumsden, R. MacKay, G.V. McKay, T. Chief Petty Officer Cook ~hief Yeo.Signals Able Seaman, R.F.R. Shipwright 3rd Class Ldg. Signalman Act.Petty Officer Ldg. Sea. R.N.R. D/MX 45883 D/JX 146045 C/B 16690 D/M :24145 C/JX 132926 FAA/FX 76293 7498 LX 21495 x 20119 C/J 114157 FAA/JX 145.121 D/JX 155547 D/JX 131327 ·D/M 10899 P/JX 153831 D/M 24752 X. 18060 D/J 89369 P/SSX 22987 D/M 47609 D/K 47133 C/B 21469 C/ B 22026 FAA/F 55041 P/K 9440 C/JX 151449 C/B 17766 P/ L 13429 D/M 6468 D/B 101'tJ Died of Wounds:-... Merrick, G.E. Merson, R. Moorhead, Louis Nixon, Leslie Oldfield, A. N. Passmore, W.T. Popr:ile, Roy Prater, w.c.J. Prynne, T.W.H. Purssey, H.W. Richmond, T.C. Risdon, ,J. Salway, Henry Saunders, W.F. Shillingford,G.H. Simpson, James Steele, F.G. Tadgell, William Tulloch, c. Wood, W.E. Yandell, Thomas Yearsley, J. McLaughlin,Michael Ldg. Airman Seaman, R. N. R. Able Seaman Air Mechanic (E) Ord. Sea. Act.Ldg.Sea. Engine Room Artificer 1st Class Ord. Sea. Shipwright, 2nd Class Seaman, R. N.R. Able Seaman Ord. Sea. Petty Officer Cook Chief Stoker Able Seaman, R.F.R. Able Seaman, R.F.R. Act. Airman Stoker Petty Officer Able Seaman Able Seaman, R. F. R. Ldg., St eward Shipwright 1st Class Able Seaman, R.F. R. 4 Rl-\TINGS. Died of \Mounds:­Stanton, H. Painter Tate, 1.1\lilliam Stoker Thornton, C. G. Able Seaman Missing. beli eved killed:­Brown, W.H. Act.Ldg. Airrnan Cl arke, W. H. Ord.Sea. Clerk, J. Ldg. Sea. R.F.R. Eason, R.E. Naval Airman Frizzle, Frederick.Naval Airman Heatherley,J.F. Able Seaman. · Tregillj_s, L. Act.Petty Officer Airman. Died: -Balland, .John Petty Officer, R.N.R. Bell, Thomas Stoker Bennett, w. J . Able Seaman. Boulton, E. F. Able Seaman. Broml ey, Stanley Able Seaman Burchell, A. R. Marine Caldwell , Albert Act.Chief Engine Room Artificer Cassell, C. J. Able Seaman Colley, Mat t hew Ord. Sea. Davis, A. J . Act.Ldg . Stoker Dawson, Leslie Ldg. Cook Dorer, P, M. Ldg.Sea., R.N.V.R, Dowdall, F. Signal man. Flynn, John Able Seaman, R. N. V,R. Friday, H.W. Air. Mech. (E) P/MX.49123 P/K.89513 P/J.22164. FAA/FX. 76411 P/SSX.26241 P/J.6745. P/JX.141199 FX.76312. P/SSX.15513 D/JX.137551 x.2015. P/KX.96786. D/J,13085 P/J.115348. D/SSX.20490 CL/X.1236 D/MX.45267 D/JX.140749 D/SSX.27357 P/KX.79741 D/Mx.50643 LD.3/X1387. D/JX,130839 CD/ X.2102 FX.75055. Gaves, R. • •••• RATINGS. Died:-Gaves, Robert o Hall, AoLo Hollyfield~ FoHoAo Holt.WoJo Jones , AoMo ~fones.:i NoP "' Landred9 Waltero Lennox~ JoEo Lucas, Ernesto McGirvan11 Johno Mackenzie, Murdocka Mackersie, Richardo Martin, Jameso Morgan, DoBo Nook~ Eric~ Orchard, F , Jo Oyler 9 Ao J , Farry1 WoAo Penny, FoAo Privett,WoJo Richardson, AoJ oRo Stanner , JovV o Sutherland, Johna Vigus, FoRo Walker, J ,,A" ·wheeler ~· VI~ Co Woodgate 9 R.Go Youngy FoT., -5 ·­ Stoker 2nd Class~ Stoker 1st Glass. OrdoSeao Ab l e Seamana Able Seamano Ldg Seao Ldg Stoker o Able Seamano Seaman, R<> NoRo AbJle Seamano Seaman, R,,NoR,,, Boyo Engineman, RoN.Ro Telegra:phisto OI'doSeao Seaman, RoN oRo Stoker 1st Cl asso Signal mano Stoker 1st Class o LdgoSignalmano Able Seamano Able Seamano Able Seamano Seaman,, R"NoR• 3toker 1st Class, Stoker 1st Classo Stoker 1st Classo 3oy 1st Classo Able Seamano RoF oRn D/KX.97125. D/KX.86626. C/SSX. 2551 9o P/Jo102622. C/SSX. 169030 P/Jx.137676.., C/Ko67162o P/SSXo 17830., P/SSXo 21867 .. C/X. 81 00. P/JX.156034. X., 16116., C/SSXo 16333o C/SSX o25600., x., 19559. C/KX.901280 C/SSX .145140 P/filto 81 821 o C/JXo131595e P/Jo51059 .. D/Jxo.139861 o P/JX .. 129498.. Xo10703., Bo 10556o P/KXo94639o P/K~62904., C/JXo154485o P/JXo136980., .; 6 Injured on War Service: ­ Al1eway, Ronald f\rmstrong, James Ashby, A. Baulch, A.S . Bowers, J. A. Branton, W.H. Brown, w. A. ,J. Brown, Onslow Rrowning, Robert Calvert, J.N. Cause, H. M. Chaplin, w. E. Clancy, Wi1liam C1arke, E. T. Colwell, 111 .T. Cook, S.G. Cowan, M. Davies, P. Davies, R. Dick, A. Dick, J. Dixon, Ronald Edwards, :\. E. Fisher, ,J.E. Foster, T. Frize, Denis Fulton; Robert Gaster, L.W. Gibbons, J6hn Gibbons, Peter Gidley, T. ~T. Gou1den, Jarnes Harmer, C. G. r.. . Act .Ldg. Airman ~ngine Room Artificer , R. N. R. Ldg. Airman Chief Petty Officer ·Ldg. Signal man. Ordnance Artificer Able Seaman Chief Electrical Artificer S.P. O. Chief Stoker M. A. A. Able Seaman Chief Petty Officer Ldg. Sea. Lc:g. Sea. Lg.Telegraphist,R. F. R. Stoker, 1st Class. Joiner Marine Seaman Cook, R.N .R. Boy 1st Class Ord. Signalman,R.N.V.R. Ord. Sea. V\Tritor, R. N. V. R. Ldg.Stoker Stoker Able Seaman Ord. Sea. Able Seaman,R. N.V. R. Able Seaman, R. N. V. R. Ldg. Stoker Sick Berth Attendant, R.N.A.S ~B.R. Ord. Sea. FAA/F55050 x.977 FAA/FX.76332 P/J. 82200 D/J.73476 D/M.35429 D/J. 35513 D/M.25788 D/K.61 013 D/M. _35569 D/.T. 100447 D/J.92507 P/J.1 12300. P/J.1 00503 n/,J.33475 . P/KX. 87332 P/MX.45818 Po/x. 3306 P/~TX. 158L~76 MD/X.2620. D/ssx.26696. MD/X. 1835 P/KX.77351 D/KX. 78201+ D/T. 98681 C/SSX. 27491 MD/X.2135 . ~rn/x. 2234 DIKX . 79431 X.7438 P/ssx.22856. Hayles, A.••• • RATINGS (contd.) Ha;yles, Ao Henderson, G,, Wo Hodges, DoRo Hood, J.ToEo HooperoHo Huston, Sydneyo Jarvis, James. Jasper, D. Jenkin, WoBo Jones, Arthur. Jones, CoC,, Jones, E.,J,, Jones, James. King, W. Little, Albert,, Mackee, G,,Eo Madge, Edwardo Maggs, JoN. Mahood, William. Marsh, E.,Go Marshall, J. Martin, James. Maxted, J. Morley, M. Murt, John To Myles, RoA. Neale, Richard:. Needham, JoEe Newton, A. Norris, John. Norrison, Philip. O'Brien, Denniso ~ 7 ­ Chief Petty Officer Cooko Able Seaman, RoFoRo Sy.Petty Officero Engineman, RoNoRo Able Seamano Able Seamano Able Seamano Corpo11 alo Electrical Artificer,, Able Seaman., Chief Ordnance Artificer o Engine Room Artificer. Marineo Electrical Artificer 4th Class,, Stoker. Engine Room AJ?tificer Ord. Seac Able Seaman.,. Able Seamane Able Seamano Stoker Petty Officero Boy., 1st Class. R.N.R. Able Seamano P/M.34804,, D/Jo8781 ~· D/MX,, 5201:; , x. 4691!1:) P/JX,,1459340 D/SSX.,17,327 • D/JXo 1511 83,. P:o/Xo 1700., D/347947,, D/Jo11270o MD/X "2088,, D/IVL 93'50 o D/MX.595580 MD/Xo2216., UD/Xo1625., Po/136920 D/MX.,57001,, D/IC 282160 D/M,,207070 D/SSX~·23203 .. D/J.,761180 D/SSXo12385., D/SSXo21251. P/K.59932., P/JX,,160068., D/JXo 11,1652. '9,;t D/Jo75695o Stoker, R.N.R" Electrical Artificer. Able Seaman, Ord.Sea. x" 1 0264s o D/M.29070 D/J".45949,, D/ssx.26653. Owen ooll•••• 8 RATINGS. (Contd. ) Owen, ,John Paul, William Peach, w.E. Peglar, ,J. G. :Philliy:>s, W.A. Pillar, '\IV.D. Plumbridge, R. Poole, R.G. Power, Frank Read, VV. / Ricketts, E. Schoffield, H.M. Scott, Walter Scott, W.R. Smith, D.P. 8Diccr, W. Spurgeon, R. Stanton, R.F. Stephenson, A. Storr, G. Stringer, G.C. Swailes, D.H. Sweeney, F. Tabb, Harold Telford, A. Templar, w. A. Thomas, G.A. Ord. Sea. Saj_lmaker Engine Room Artificer Stoker Chief Engine Room Artificer Engine Room Artificer Ord. Sea. Stoker Telegranhist, R.N.V.(W) R. Master at Arms. Leading Cook Ord. Sea. TelegraDhist, R.N.V.(W) R. Ldg.Sea. Petty Officer Chief Petty Officer Seaman Steward, R.N.R. Able Seaman Able Seamsn, R.F.R. Able Seaman Engine Room Artificer Able Seaman Able Seaman Engine Room Artificer Sergeant Telegraphist, R.N.V.R. Chief Shipwright , D/SSX.24489 D/237666 D/M.18510 D/K.61907 D/M.11846 D/M.13702 P/JX.154225 D/K.14415 WR/X.48. P/M.39760. P/MX.48391 P/ssx.22969 WR/X.45. D/J.70902 D/J.83701 F/J.98098 D/JX.126888 D/J.30287 P/JX.144871 D/M.40450 P/JX.138528 p/,Jx.162322 D/M.11305 Po/216996 X.74. D/M.35848. Thomey.•••.•.••••• • -9 RATINGS (Contd.) Thomey, John. Able Seaman. D/J.34332. Wadden, A.G. Ldg. Sea. D/JX.125982. Wakely, F. Able Seaman. P/SSX. 24L~03. Ware, D.A. r.1echanician. D/Ko 349llo Viatt, \"Jilliam. Ldg. Sig. R.F.Ro 'D/J.41787. West, Charles.. . Seaman, R.N. R. X.18081. West, Harry. Sy.Petty Officer D/M.37433. Whitely, V.A. Telegraphist, WR/X.. 35. R.N. V. (W) Ro Wilson, William. Ldg. Sig. R. F. Ro D/J. 25055. VHlson, VI. H. Sig. R.N .. V,, R. LD/Xc3850~ ADMIRALTY 6th Janua~y, 1940. EMPIRE AFFAIRS 6/1/40. -No. L1.• ~D CROSS GIFT FRm1 SIERRA LEOOE The Lebano-Syrians, small non-British community in Sierra Leone which is by no means wealthy, have collected and presented to the Governor of the Colony a sum of £758.lls.od, for British Red Cross Societies in England. In forwarding their cheque, the contributors say that no sacrifice can sufficiently manifest the gratitude felt tmvards His Majesty's Gove~.ment for the present and past freedom their community has enjoyed in this Colony. ------000------. '' 6/1/40 • • • • • • • • • FROM THE FRONT BENCH TH~ RATIONING SCHEME by The Rto Hono Wo So MorpisonMinister of Food BROADCAST IN THE B. Bo c() HOME SERVICE ( 9. 150 -9.. 300 P• m. ) SATURDAY 6th JANUARY 1940., (NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE BROADCAST BY WHICH IT SHOULD BE CHECKED). ___________..,..._----000---..---~------­ -2 ­ THE RATIONING SCHEiID. Rationing starts on IT.onday and I have been thinking over what questions you would wish to ask me if we could talk it over together, and I am going to suggest tonight, and put to myself, four questions ­which, I hope, get squarely at what is in most minds. My first is ·-Why is there rationing at all? Is it necessary?. Second -IDoes it mean a shortage of food? Nurnber three -Why choose the present moment? -that is, you may feel that we have delayed too long; or you may feel the other way, that we have brought it in before we should. Number four VJhy ~ lb. of sugar, when a little while ago you were asked to ration yourselves voluntarily to 1 lb? You will see they overlap each other, which is all to the good for I want to cover the whole ground. The first is a wide question. Why do we have rationing? Why, in fact, do 'i'.'e fix the amounts of certain foods, and say to everyone -11 that is as much as you can have"? He must begin by considering the foods. They are these -bacon and ham, butter, sugar and meato The last one, meat, will not be rationed yet not for some weeks. All four are important foods or vie should have . ' no occasion, no need to interfere with your own tastes and vmys of life. But, more particu1arly, they are all things which we get largely from overseas in ships, and that is the crux of the matter, To obtain these f ood supplies we are using a great deal of our shipping, and of our moneyo But we want as much shipping space and foreign exchange as possible/ 3 possible for bringing us armaments and raw materials for our f actories, all the things from overseas which will help us to win the war. It is clear that we must fix some limit to our demanc.=is for food; and that if we can manage on less than in peace-time, we should do so. Or look at it in a more personal way. We are asking our sailors, and seamen and airmen to bring these food suDplies to us. I sometimes think of the great contrast between our lives in this war -the lives we are leading in the shc1.ter of our homes, and the lives of our sea-faring men. Work as we will, we cannot make a contribution equal to theirs. What we must be quite sure about is that we do not ask them, for all their readiness and fine courage, to run unnec~ssary risks for us. That, then, is my first point. In the rationing scheme I am deliberately asking you, the whole community, to do with less of these imported foods than in peace-time , so helping our men who are on active service and adding strength to our country's war effort. The other point is this. Having decided to take less, there must be perfect fairness in distribution, no first-come-first-se:rvcd or anything of that kind. We must divide what we have and share out equally -and that can only be done by rationing. But bear in mind that we are not only saying what is the nroper share for each person. We are also saying that you will be certain of gettin~ it, whenever you go to the shop with which you registered. The alternative is to l eave everyone to buy what they like, which may mean, more often than not, what they can. Then somebody is left out. No, it must be done in an orderly system which is fair to all. And this system of r ationing -4 ­ represents the spirit in which one and all of us will wish to ~ake the strain and f ace the testing of war. Now, my second question. Does it mean a shortage of food ? "No", is my reply. "We have all we need". But, possibly, here and there, one or two of you may be wondering how we stand with the German U-boats, or mines, or any other of their manifestations of piracy, Have they compelled us to ration ? The answer is "Cert ainly not, if you suggest any success on their part, or stroke of warfare which we did not allO\'v for". We knew that some of our supplies would be interrupted or stopped, those from parts of Northern Europe for instance. We knew that our ships could not arrive with the clock-work regu~arity of peace-time. Of course not. We worked out the r ationing scheme, before the war as we laid down reserves of some of the main foodstuffs, as a matter of sheer prudence. It would be f olly not to t ake precautions, not to husband our food supplies and set limits to our consumption in this long trial of strength and endurance which we have undertaken. But, you may ask, is the present moment the right one ? I said l ast time I spoke on the wireless that we were watching the position -"the supplies we have , the supplies we ca.a expect and the rate at which we are using them11 With our eyes on these figures, • we have been getting all the pr eparatory steps complete. These began with the marking of the books, then their delivery to every house, the collection of your registrations, so finding out the quantitities required in en.ch shop, in each area, all along the channels of trade·; and then arranging for the correct amounts to , go forward, and go forward r egtril.arly. All this is done. The s cheme i s F"<3'• • • • • .ady 1 I '' -~ -~­ -5 ready, and starts on Mm·:dayl) Perhaps this organisation will seem a dull affair. Believe me, it is full of life and good, hard service• Picture to yourself the ships, coming in and discharging at the docks~ the busy depots and markets~ railways and lorries, leading in the end to your familiar shop counter. I hope vrn shall work the scheme all the more smoothly, for not havin'g had to hurry or make a rush job of the structureo But~ turning to the other side of the question, why have we not postponed the scheme~ put it off into the future? -The simplest explanation is to look back to 1917 and 19'ih8o Then, rationing was not introduced until after a shortage had ariseno Many of you may remembero \!Vhat will stand out most clearly in 3rour memory is the food q_ueues -the an,;;:iety and long waiting; and sometimes waiting in vainv It ·was not until rationing was introduced that queues c1isappearedo '11his time we are not waiting for the food q_ueues but are forsto.llin:; and preventing themo I t will be , fro now ornvards, fair distri'buti o;J oi' su~JpliesQ ri11ile I am on thi's question!. let me say that anyone who ha~ not yet registered for meat should do so on Monday; Monday ot the latesto With this information before us the same p~ocess will be followed for directing your supplies of meat to the rj_ gl1t j/laceo Fourtl}.,o The sugar q_uestiono \:Vhy -i lb? I have already given j)&J.:'t of the answero In arranging our import programmes 9 an l shil1};)ing programEms 9 the:: Governrnent htwe to consider not only the diff':;rent foodstuffs, but everything else ·which comes from abroad munitions, materials••••• ' materials for other forms of industry, whether for use at home or for our export tra de, food of various kinds or feeding-stuffs for livestocko All these imports have to be considered together, just as in a convoy they are brought over together. The markets abroad are practically unlimited. It is a matter of .how best we can use our resources; and what is nee:ded most at any given time,, The particular q_uestion then is what in: these programmes is a fair allocation for sugar. Our decision is thrit 9 as things stand now, supplies sufficient for i lb~ for everyone, together with reasonable supplies for manufactured products -jam for instance -those supplies are ~ight, Circumstances will alter during the 1rvar. The amounts of the rations are not fixed for the duration~ -.ve have to l ook constantly at the changing situation a nd keep in line with all the needs of the momento In those q_ues tions and 2nsvvers you have, I think, the full explREatton. of the rationing scheme; and from all I have heard , and I t ake good care to listen9 I believe that th