ARMY DEFAULTERS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3548, 9 August 1920, Page 7

ARMY DEFAULTERS.

The United (States is still prosecuting persons who failed to respond to j the call t- arms. The Attorney-Gen- j eral has isslued tinstractions t'o the j take court action against all remain- j Lug draft delinquents and 173,000 i draft deserters. Justice officials say 20,000 convictions have been obtained on draft delinquents since June, 1917, and predict | the number will be heavily increased in the next few months. It is proposed, to publish a list of 170,000 alleged deserters. At £lO each the grand total of rewards for the apprehension would be £1,700,000. One result of the publication of the list, if is expected, -will be au exodus of hundreds of men to Mexico and i flier “points south."

Is the cost of living still rising? Certainly, further increases are spoken of on all sides, and nine out of ten people would not hesitate'to give an affirmative answer to the question. Nevertheless, a glance at an authentic price list issued from month to month by one of the large importing firms in Dunedin will hardly bo found to justify the popular opinion, says the Otago Daily Times. The list, wdiich is issued at the end of each month,' shows that during

May the prices of IS lines of general merchandise in common use were reduced. and seven advanced; in June' IS were reduced and 12 advanced; and last month. 30 were reduced and 11 ad'vancedf. During the past three months, therefore, this firm has listed 66 price reductions as against 30 in-* creases. Surely there is ground hero for some satisfaction and a measure of optimism.