THE RISE IN PRICES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 268, 8 August 1919, Page 8

THE RISE IN PRICES

REMARKABLE FIGURES FROM - FRANCE. Paris, May 31. An official document has been issued showing the general! fluctuations of prices in Prance, Great Britain, and the United States 6ince 1860, the merchandise on which the estimates are based including, twenty articles of food and twjnty-five industrial products. It was found that the years between 1901 and 1910 presented a fail' normal between 1860 and 1918, for during the first years of this century prices were remarkably steady. If 100 be taken to represent the cost of living in those years, in 19H in France prices had already risen by 10 to 18 per cent., and in 1918 they had attained the. figure of 292 per cent. Thu6 wliat) could be bought for 100 francs in 1910 now costs 392 francs—aud this without taking i.nto account the inferior quality of practically everything on tho market at the present time. Tho same document shows that in Great Britain and the United States, though there has not been a rise of the same extent, there has nevertheless 'been a very considerable increase. The 1918 prices in Great Britain were 160 per cent, higher than those of 1901-1910, and in 3017 the rise in the United States amounted to 100 per cent. These figures are serious enough in themselves, but a far more serious aspect of the case is tho fact that prices are still rising. True, as regards a certain number of necessnry foodstuffs there hns been a slight fall; in France this is largely due to the Government's action in instituting the Vilgrain booths. Otherwise prices in France are now higher than they were at tho beginning of tho year, and will certainiiy go much higher still. This is due to a multitude of reasons, the chief being the introduction of the eight hours' day, the general riso of wages, the embargo on imports, the lack of coal, aud the new taxes, which in many cases will make 100 per cent, difference at one blow. Added to these remain tho reason? which liavo obtained for four years; the inactivity of the industrial 'North and lack of man-power, owing lo the fact that demobilisation has 'been suspended until the signature of the Peace Treaty. Thus there is no hope of immediate improvement. An amelioration of the present state of affairs can only be looked for when tho industrial districts return to their pre-war activity, and when the Sarre coaJ makes such activity possible.