EARLIER MESSAGES.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13826, 22 July 1915, Page 5

EARLIER MESSAGES.

EXORBITANT WAR PROFITS

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

London, July .19

A "Times" correspondent points out that Britain's war expenditure is greater than any other belligerent's. "It is now averaging three and a half millions daily. Allowing for the higher cost of our soldiers, this does not account for the great disparity." He suggests that the exorbitant profits on war contracts is the cause. "It will be necessary to eliminate undue profits if Britain wishes to hold out."

The "Trade and Labour Gazette" states that there is an increasing number of enlistments, and an active, demand for. labour owing to the requirements of the Allies, which has. caused a shortage of labour in many industries. There is now very little unemployment, except in a few "luxury" and other trades which are adversely affected by the Avar. The transference of labour from one trade to another, and the substitution of female for male labour, are being extended.

A Germain Gazette declares that em.plcyment in the majority of the German industi'ies is perfectly satisfactory, an<J that many of the returns show that the number of men applying for work has decreased 70 per cent., while females have increased 50 per cent.

In Britain, the, bureaux reports state that the employment of women is enormously increasing.

Retail food prices in Britain aro steadily advancing. Compared with those is 1914, beef has increased 40 er cent. ; sugar, 6.8 per cent.; fish, 64 ; flour, 50; bread, 40; and tea, 28 per cent.

In Berlin, food prices have increased 60 per cent. In Vienna, beef has increased 105 per cent.; eggs, 167; bacon, 162; rice, 125 ; and bread, 83 per cent.

The Central Committee of th© National Patriotic Organisations, organised by Mr. Asquith, Lord Eosebery, and Mr. Balfour, has completed an arrangement to hold a meeting throughout the Empire on August 4 th—"Declaration Day." The Dominion® are enthusiastically supporting the project. Mr. Asquith and Mr. Bonar'Law approve of the submission to all meetings of a draft resolution, as follows:— "On this, the anniversary of the declaration of a righteous war, this meeting records its inflexible determination to continue, to a victorious end, the struggle in the maintenance of those ideals of, liberty and justice which are common ! o 'the sacred 'cause of the .Allies." Mr. RobeYt 'Lansing, secretary of State, and Count Bernstorff, German Ambassador, conferred at New York. Cnunt Bernstorff is proposing that America should ask Britain to end the blockade if Germany undertakes to cease submarine operations. "The Times' " Washington correspondent verifies the report of the interview. Count BeriKstorff requested the conference in order to interpret the German Note. Department of Commerce figures show the effectiveness of the British blockade. The value of American exports to Germany during June was £80,000, compared with £2,800,000 in 1914. The "American Evening Mail" states that Mr. Lansing informed Count Bernstorff that America wa;s unable to place itself in a position of bargaining with Britain over an entirely German-British quarrel.