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Show NO REMEDY FOR HIGH PRICES. What is the cause of high prices. The best answer we have seen corae-i from Henry Clews, in his weekly letter. let-ter. "He Ravs:" "Commodity prices are still rising the general level being fully 25 to 30 per cent higher than before the war. Cotton, copper, steel, oil, rubber, sugar, su-gar, wheat, meats and all food products pro-ducts are advancing, stimulating general gen-eral unrest by adding to the already high cost of living. Since the war, wheat and flour have nearly doubled, meats have risen 20 to 30 per cent and over. The British government, after taking over control of several commodities, is now regulating wheat supplies and prices. Textiles show a substantial rise since the war. Cotton Cot-ton goods are 25 to 100 per cent higher, linens have doubled, woolens are 50 to 70 per cent above 1914 and carpets have risen 60 to 100 per cent. Thus far these advances have been more conspicuous in the wholesale markets than abong retailers. Eventually, Event-ually, however, they will reach the latter class and the general consumer, who will also have to pay for the increased costs of distribution arising from the scarcity and high wages of labor. This upward movement Is worldwide and not by any means confined con-fined to the United States. The causes are numerous and somewhat complex, and yet nearly all of them find their primary origin in the war. First and most serious, is the shifting of millions upon millions of men from productive occupations to those of destrution. Hence the scarcity of labor and the Incalculable wastage of life, property and commodities." That there is no remedy in sight Is the discouraging conclusion. Nothing can prevent even higher prices while the terrible scourge of war-continues. Production Is decreasing, while consumption con-sumption and waste are constantly Increasing. Governments mav n- deavor to restrain speculation with all possible energy; they may seek to prevent the unscrupulous from tUdng undue advantage; they may secure better distribution and soraowhat mitigate the hardships of abnormal conditions; but no government is powerful pow-erful enough to throttle the Inevitable law of supply and demand which, ow-ling ow-ling to scarcity, now operates irresistibly irre-sistibly in the direction of high prices. Mr. Clews says: "Even In the com-mercial com-mercial world the ill effects of tho war are painfully illustrated, and many lessons can be learned; chief oi which are the inviolability of economic Jaw and the penalties which the whole world must suffor for the struggle now devastating the Continent Conti-nent of Europe." |