PROFITEERING IN FRANCE

Waikato Times, Volume 91, Issue 14232, 5 December 1919, Page 3

PROFITEERING IN FRANCE

CONSUMERS' LEAGUES AT WORK.

The high cost of living is now arousing much greater interest throughout France than any other subject, writes the Paris correspondent of) the Morning Post. The appeal of M. Noulens, the new Food Controller, lo even' consumer to assist in the war, on profiteers is receiving a surprisingly large response not only in Paris out throughout the whole country, and day by day the movement gains strength. Every day news is rec >ived of the formation of new league of consumers and vigilance committees, as the campaign spreads from quarter to quaver in Paris and from town to town in the provinces. Experience is showing (hat, apart from the inevitable rise in prices resulting from the scarcit> oJ freight and other factors due to thv. present unsettled conditions, a .'3ry large proportion of the excessive cost of necessaries is directly attributable to the unwarrantably high rate of profit added by the French retailer, and the efforts of the various consumers' organisations are at present solely directed towards' curbing the rapacity of the average shopkeeper. These organisations, in order to attain their object, have adopted an entirely new method, which may be do- j scribed as direct action within the' law. Far from advocating raids en shops and destruction of the stocks and premises of offending tradesman, of which there were one or two instances at the beginning of the campaign, the 'promoters of the leagues expressly urge that no violence sh-dl be exercised. Their method, however, is none the less effective. In Paris at the conclusion of a meeting at whbh a local league is definitely formed a powerful deputation of representatives or heads of families is appointed, whose duty is to form the "fighting force in the'Held." These delegates visit Lie Paris central markets before dawn and make careful notes of the prices at which shopkeepers of their district are buying from the wholesale dealers. Armed with this information the delegates fix a scale of retail prices based on figures that will allow a profit of 20 per cent, to Hie shopkeepers. They then return to the quarter of the ci'y in which they live and visit the local markets.

In many instances the reductions m pi-ice have been startling, and ha.e amply proved the success of the consumers' ampaign. Potatoes fell from 7d to 2ld per lb., eggs from 5Jd to 3Ad, rabbits from -is to 2s Oil per in., and cabbages from 5d to 2d each; while fowls, which before the arrival of i\e delegates were marked at prices ranging from 12s Gd to 20s each, according to size, dropped suddenly after their presence became known, 8s to 12s. A decree was published on August 14 ordaining that the prices of all foodstuffs and beverages sold by retail in shops, cafes, restaurants, mar-

kets, fairs and other places must be indicated in such a way as to be plainly visible to purchasers. Simultaneously the committee appointed to lis prices at which foodstuffs ought to be sold in Paris, after taking in due consideration all questions of prime cost, general expenses, and reasonable profits, publishes its first list of "normal prices." This shows that, in the opinion of the committee, which includes of the municipal councils, chambers of commerce, butchers, pork butchers, market gardeners, and dairymen's trade unions and co-operative societies, fair sale prices in the present circumstances should he as follow for the principal categories of goods:—Ordinary red wine, Is 6d the litre of a pint and three-quarters; but titer, best quality, us Gd per French lb. of 1740 z.; ordinary quality, 4s; eggs, 3d to 6d each, according to size and quality; chickens, 4s 7d per lb.; rabbit, 2s9d per lb.; St. Malo potatoes, 2£d per lb.; md Dutch potatoes, od per lb. Prices are also listed for vegetables.