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Show COST OF LIVING HIGHIN ITALY Dearest of War Countries Speculation Boosts Prices 50 Higher Than France. DOUBLE COST OF LIVING Coal Sells at $70 a Ton, Wood Ten Cents Pound and Electric Elec-tric Light Globes 70 Cents. ROME, Nov. 25 (Correspondence of the Associated Press) Italy this winter has passed from the position of one of the cheapest to one of the dearest dear-est war countries as regards cost of living. Speculation in food and clothing cloth-ing and heating material is generally held responsible for the very high prices, in many respects 50 per cent higher than in France. Woolen goods that last summer were sold at $2.50 to $1.00 a yard arc now being relnvolced and sold in the same stores at ?5 to $10 a yard. Women's clothes have been doubled or trebled in price, according ac-cording to the whim of the storekeeper. storekeep-er. "If you don't buy now, you either won't get the chance at all later in the winter or else you will have to pay more money," purchasers are informed. inform-ed. Second hand furniture of tho mosjl ordinary quality, particularly beds, mattresses, carpets, chairs and tables, sells for the price of new furniture. Single woolen mattresses that last spring sold for $10 each this winter sell for $20. The price of a cotten bed sheet is $3. The cost of housekeeping has doubled since last winter. Eggs that formerly sold at 3 conts, now sell for 7 and 9 cents. Fresh vegetables arc sold almost at meat prices. Butte Is 75 cents a pound. Sugar remains at 34 cents a pound, Avhlle coffee has gone to 80 cents a pound. Ham and bacon have disappeared entirbly from the market as being too dear for anybody to buy. Oatmeal sells at 30 cents a pound. Despite the fact that all of Italy is being denuded of forest timber to turn iito firewood, and that wood has been one of the principal freight products on the railways all the past summer, coal sells at $70 a ton. Wood sells at 10 cents a pound. Electric light globes worth 15 cents sell at 70 cents. Hotel prices have reached $5 to $8 a day in the better hotels of the larger cities, prices that would have seemed fabulous in Italy before the war. "It's war time" is the inevitable and final answer to all objections regarding regard-ing high prices. oo |