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370 ECONOMIC INQUIRIES AND STUDIES
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in food, while our self-governing colonies are exempt
from the defence items which constitute so large a part of
the expenditure for national services. But it would take
us too long, and would be unsatisfactory without-fuller
detail, to present any comparisons in a tabular form.
Such being the present distribution of national ex-
penditure, in what way does it vary from an ideal, and
on what lines should the governing authorities of the
empire, and men of light and leading, in private as
well as public capacities, direct their efforts, so as, if
necessary, to diminish outlay in some directions and
increase it in others?
The first point which occurs to me relates to the ex-
penditure on food and drink. The total is enormous,
and the question may well arise whether in some direc-
tions there is not a possibility of retrenchment, with
great advantage to the community. If, as some sup-
pose, there is too much consumption of meat and alcohol
among the artisan and wealthier classes for the proper
maintenance of health and strength, what we have be-
fore us in this enormous consumption of food and drink
is in part economic waste. Per contra, the question
will arise, having regard to recent discussions, whether,
in spite of the magnitude of'the expenditure generally,
there are not large numbers of the people insufficiently
fed. The recent investigations of Mr. Rowntree and
Mr. Booth would seem to point to a conclusion of this
sort, though, for one, I must confess myself unconvinced.
The dietary of prisons and workhouses, which is found
quite sufficient for health, and, with no great additions,
would be found sufficient for full work, is not so very
expensive. The question is more a medical one than
one to be settled in any way by statistics or general com-
parisons. There is no doubt that the waste in certain
directions, if it could be repaired-I refer especially to
the drink expenditure-would go far to provide the ex-
penditure on·food required for the proper nourishment
of some of the children and families who are now in-
sufficiently fed.