Defence of the Realm Act, 1914 (D.O.R.A)
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| The Cambrian Daily Leader, 1st February 1919 |
The article makes mention reference about D.O.R.A. What was D.O.R.A?
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| Herbert Henry Asquith |
This gave
the British Government, wide-ranging powers during the war, such as power to requisition
buildings or land which were needed for the war effort, also regulations
creating criminal offences.
D.O.R.A. was thought as an authority of social control mechanisms,
which included censorship.
“No person shall by word of mouth or in writing spread reports
likely to cause disaffection or alarm among any of His Majesty's forces or
among the civilian population”. Regulations of Defence of Realm, as published
in the London Gazette, 1st September 1914.
Section 1(1) of the Defence of the
Realm Act read as follows.
(1) His Majesty
in Council has power during the continuance of the present war to issue
regulations as to the powers and duties of the Admiralty and Army Council, and
of the members of His Majesty's forces, and other persons acting in His behalf,
for securing the public safety and the defence of the realm; and may, by such
regulations, authorise the trial by courts martial and punishment of persons
contravening any of the provisions of such regulations designed—
(a) To prevent persons communicating with the enemy
or obtaining information for that purpose or any purpose calculated to
jeopardise the success of the operations of any of His Majesty's forces or to
assist the enemy; or
(b) To secure the safety of any means of
communication, or of railways, docks or harbours; in like manner as if such
persons were subject to military law and had on active service committed an
offence under section 5 of the Army Act .
It wouldn’t be until 1988, with the passing of Licensing Act, 1988 that opening hours were changed.
The British Government also introduced
British Summer Time, 1916, allowing more working daylight hours.
Rationing was introduced February
1918, after German submarines succeeded in sinking British merchant ships, ships
that were carrying imports into the country. Rationing was enforced by D.O.R.A,
to ensure that there wasn’t any starvation.
At the outbreak of the First World
War, any food shortage was self-imposed, and there was public hoarding and
panic buying, with shops emptying during the early months of war. This problem did settle.
Supplies were imported from America
and Canada, buy when the German started to introduce the campaign of unrestricted
submarine warfare, which resulted British ships being targeted. At the time of the Battle of Some, 1916, Britain
had enough wheat for the next 6 weeks. This
resulted in food shortages and rise of prices.
The cost of coal also rose, by October 1916, coal was started to be
rationed in the number rooms within a house.
Those families that didn’t have enough
money to buy food, on the black market, turned to the land to help. Any piece of land that could be converted
into an allotment and gardens that were used to grow many crops.
By 1917, 2.5 million acres of land
was requisition under the D.O.R.A. Act, by the end of the war, there was a
further 3 million acres of land. Working
the land, prompted the creation of the Women’s Land Army. Also, conscientious objectors, were seen also
working the land.
Women's Land Army
Rationing Cards
January 1918, saw sugar rationed
any by the end of the year, meat, butter, cheese and margarine joined the
list. February saw the introduction of
rationing cards, issued to each household, which had to be registered to a local
butcher shop. Rationing continued until 1920.
Those people who were breach of
D.O.R.A. regulations and intend to assist the enemy could be sentenced to
death. 10 people were executed under these regulations. There were anti-war activists, that were sent
to prison, who included Bertrand Russell.
Russell considered himself a liberal,
a socialist and pacifist. Bertrand Russell
The Defence of the Realm Act, 1914, was
finally repleaded in 1927.
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