RHONDDA, rond'da, David Alfred Thomas, VISCOUNT, British coal magnate and food controller: b. Aberdare, Wales, 26 March 1856; cL Llanwern Park, Wales, 3 July 1918. He was educated at Caius College, Cambridge, and was a scholar of Jesus and Caius colleges.
He entered the colliery firm in which his father held a large interest, and at the time of his death was senior member of the firm of Thomas and Davey. In 1916 he effected a great combination of the coal-mining interests known as the Cambrian mines, in which he was a controlling director. His reputation was that of a hard, resourceful fighter, whose sym pathies were with the people. He served as president of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce in 1895 and from 1893 to 1897 was president of the South Wales Liberal Federation. From 1888 to 1910 he represented Merthyr Burghs in the House of Commons, and in 1910 repre sented Cardiff. In 1916-17 he was president of the local government board. His most con spicuous service to his country was as food controller, to which position he was appointed in 1917. The appointment became effective in June of that year. At once, under the power given him by the Defense of the Realm Act, he took over the wheat, potato, barley, oats and rye crops. He announced that the solution of Great Britain's food supply was in America, and he set out to obtain the co-operation of the United States. In the winter of 1917, when
the expected American supplies of wheat and meat did not arrive, it was Lord Rhondda's careful handling of the food distribution that saved England from extreme hardship. He put an effectual stop to profiteering and specula tion in food. In January 1918 the rationing system was put into effect. Customers were required in every community to register, to buy only at one store and to buy at no store where they could not be accommodated quickly. Drastic restrictions were put on the use of wheat and grains. Lord Rhondda's greatest source of satisfaction in his work was the fact that the German government had directed its newspapers to be silent about the food sup ply in England. His resignation from the post of food controller was first made in February 1918 when his health failed. He continued in absentia at the Premier's request and was offi cially in office when he died. In 1916 he was created first baron of Llanwern and on 3 June 1918 was made viscount in recognition of his delivery of England from a food crisis.