ABSTRACT
When a war begins the Governments of the belligerent countries at once require the services of a vast number of men and women too. The chief thing which Government wants in war time is labour. Behind the actual fighting-line there is a second army working on roads and railways, sending up supplies of food and munitions, repairing vehicles, clothing, boots and the other impedimenta of an army. The Budget of 1914–1915 provided for some small increases in revenue and expenditure, but before the second quarter was half through the war had begun. It was not until November 17th, 1914—fifteen weeks after the outbreak of war—that the Chancellor of the Exchequer brought in his first War Budget. In the first year of war the shortage of commodities was not acute, German had the usual large stock-in-trade and the check on imports imposed by German submarines was not yet serious. Consequently people could still spend and consume freely.
