Prices and Policy.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15669, 6 June 1916, Page 6

Prices and Policy.

Some of the comment, in Parliament and the Press, upon the cost of living, and some of the writing upon war taxation, appears to argue a widespread ignorance not only of the duty of the individual in war time, but also of the very facts relative to the influence of tho war upon prices here and in Groat Britain. According to tho Government Statistician's latest figures, the prices of household commodities in the first .quarto; 1 of this yeur were 20.52 per higher than in July, 1914. That is to say, the average household, if it maintained its system of expenditure on tho pre-war scale, would find its oil's increased by 20.52 per cent. This, ivo are assured, is a perfectly sufficient rea - Eon why tho majority of tho people should be permitted to escape contributing a single penny to the Treasury towards the cost of the war. Such nil argument coidd not be employed it' the public to whom it is addressed wcro awaro of the truth concerning Britain. The rise in tho cost of living in Britain has not been considered by anybody as a reason why people with small incomes should aot bo asked to pay substantial direct and indirect taxes. In the " Statist" of April 22nd there aro particulars of the | wholesale prices of food which show how .tremendously more the British householder lias to pay for his goods now than formerly. We may givo some of these, comparing tho prices iii 1914 and the prices in 191G for tho corresponding April dates (we gives tho figures as closely\as possible, small fractions being omitted): — April, 1914. April, 1916. "Wheat, per bushel 3s lid 6a 8d Beef, per lb (cheapest) 4id 9Ad to lOd Mutton, per lb (cheapest) okl BJd Butter (colonial) per cwt. 90s to 108s 150s to 161s Cheese (cheapest) per cwt. Cls lOiiS Sugar (Mauritius) per lb lj'l 4d Tea, ordinary, per lb 83d Hid Cocoa, per lb Gd 9d , Not only does this mean higher retail prices in Britain than here for the -ommonest necessaries of life; it means also an enormously higher increase per cent, in the prices of those articles.

The general public hero is thus much better off than the general public in Britain. People are better paid, to begin with; and they have to pay prices far less burdensome than arc tin; prices in Britain. In addition, tiio great bulk of the people hore pay no direct taxation at all, and next to do indirect taxation. Wo aro quite unable to pcrceive why, in theso circumstances, there should be any opposition to the idea that the principle of the British War Budget should be adopted here. Yet the people are Doing told that- it is something like a crime to ask them to givo up anything. or to make any sacrifice or any economy. Our own suggestion that everybody should live more economically, buy more cheaply, and cut out the extravagant expenditure that is all very well in peace time, has actually been condemned aa "unctuous" rubbish. Yet this is advice which has been givsn » thousand times by the statesmen, financiers, and economists of Greit Britain. A case that requires its uc fenders to condemn this advice must surely itself stand condemned.

Progress of thß War. For many people the important j operations in France and other theatres j of the war have to a large extent been overshadowed by the great naval engagement. The terrific struggle on the Meuse is proceeding with no sign of slackening:. During tho last few days the Germans have been concentrating their attacks on tho lino on either side of Fort Vanx. The enemy has succeeded in getting close up to the fort, and has secured a footing in the village of Damloup, on the foothills to the south-east. Since Saturday the enemv has been completely stopped, numerous violent attacks on both sides of the fort being defeated by the French artillery and machinegun fire. On the whole of the Verdun sector the artillery of bcth sides has been extremely active, and the work of the French gunners very deadly. The enemy claims to have repulsed six French attacks in the vicinity of Vaux. and that the fighting has been generally in his favour. There is increased activity on the whole of the British front, with violent artillery bombardments at many points, notably in tho neighbourhood of Arras. In the vicinity of Ypres. in tho salient j between II;-)jo and the Ypres-Comi-ues railway, the situation has not materially altered. The Germans i claim to have defeated all the British counter-attacks, but this is not borne out by the statemeut of Sir Douglas Haig, who reports that all the ground regained on Saturday has been held. On the Italian front the position seems to be more satisfactory. No Austrian communique has been receivc-d, but the Italians report that violent attempts 011 the nart of the enemy to break through south-west of Arsiero were completely defeated, the Austrians suffering serious losses. This indicates that the Italians are definitely cheeking the Austrians in the centre of tho line in the Southern Tyrol. There are signs of offensive action on the southern part of the Russian front. The Austrian communique* states that the Russians are bombarding the front from the Dniester northward to Tarnopol, and in Volhvnia, the '"indications everywhere being that infantry attacks are imminent." An offensive by tho Russians at this time will be somewhat inconvenient for the Austrians, who may be forced to withdraw troops from tho Italian front to roinforce their lines in Galicia.