The time had now arrived when the Federation was to be put to a more severe test than ever before since it had attained to years of maturity. Like a thunderclap the war storm which had been gathering over Europe during the month of July burst on an astonished world which had almost come to believe war on such a gigantic scale impossible, and many were the doubts expressed, even by sincere wellwishers of the Co-operative movement, as to how it would weather the storm. The next chapter will tell how one federation kept the Co-operative flag flying and added to the laurels it had gained by its devoted and loyal service to the interests of the common people. CHAPTER XVIII. BAKING UNDER WAR CONDITIONS. THE EARLY DAYS OF WAR—KEEPING DOWN PRICES: THE DIRECTORS’ VIEW—HALF-PAY TO SOLDIER EMPLOYEES—ARMY CONTRACTS—HORSES AND MOTORS COMMANDEERED—PRICE OF BREAD ADVANCED—DEATH OF BISCUIT FACTORY MANAGER—MORE ARMY CONTRACTS—EXTENSIONS AND ALTERATIONS—M‘NEIL STREET BLOCK COMPLETED—BUSINESS ORGANISATION—TEABREAD AND PASTRY SHOPS—THE PRICE OF BREAD—INCREASING OUTPUT—BISCUIT AND TEABREAD TRADE—THE SOCIETY AND ITS WORKERS—DELIVERY DIFFICULTIES—DEATH OF MR DUNCAN M‘CULLOCH. On the fourth day of August 1914, Great Britain entered on a new era. There are not awanting cynics who declare that Great Britain is hardly ever out of war, but however that may be, there never has been in the world’s history a war which seemed in its early days to be fraught with so dire consequences for civilisation as did that into which the nations of Europe plunged in those early days of August 1914. For the first few days it seemed as if chaos had suddenly developed. The people seemed to go mad with panic, and rushed to purchase goods wherever these could be procured, careless of the prices which they were called on to pay. To the traders, large and small, it must have seemed like the beginning of a trading millennium, and they took immediate advantage of the position in which they found themselves. Prices doubled, trebled, and quadrupled; yet the eager rush to buy continued. The poor bought what they could, but they soon reached the end of their meagre resources. Not so the rich, however. Amongst them, the panic seemed to be even greater than amongst the poorer sections of the community, and they provisioned their houses as if for a siege, careless as to who must want if only they had plenty in store. [Illustration: EDUCATIONAL DEPUTATION TO ENGLAND ] [Illustration: EDUCATIONAL DEPUTATION TO ENGLAND ]