Abstract
IN a recent speech Mr. Clynes stated that the events of the last two years had revealed the necessity, not only of securing complete unity of action among the Allies, but also of basing any such action on the guiding principles laid down by science. This recognition of the fundamental part which science, should play in the successful direction of public affairs is noteworthy as coming from a member of the youngfest of our political parties, and augurs well for the future of the country when this party comes to be entrusted with a responsibility commensurate with its political power. In fact, much of the success of the Ministry with which Mr. Glynes is connected may be ascribed to the adoption by Lord Rhondda of a policy based on the collective experience of scientific men rather than on the political exigencies of the moment. Thus the United Kingdom, alone among the European Allies, has been able to maintain a distribution of bread free from any restriction, at a time when all the others felt themselves constrained to limit the consumption of this, the most essential of all foods, by a system of rationing. This policy does not mean, as is so often thought, that the shortage of bread-stuffs in this country was less than that of the other Allies. But Lord Rhondda adopted the scientific policy of economising cereals at the expense of animals, instead of the more obvious expedient of diminishing directly the supply of bread to man.
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Inter-Allied Scientific Food Commission . Nature 101, 304–306 (1918). https://doi.org/10.1038/101304f0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/101304f0