Evening star., 1915-07-19
EFFECT Of THE BIG WAR
ON THE PRICE OF FOOD
Potatoes and Meat Among Few
Products Showing No Increase
in Cost.
Bulletin Issued by Bureau of Labor
Statistics on Conditions Through
out the World.

Potatoes and meat are among the few
foods which did not increase in price
throughout the world as result of the
European war. the price of potatoes
falling in most of the more important
countries and that of meat increasing
but little in many places, according to
bulletin on foreign food prices, as af-
fected by the war. just issued by the
bureau of labor statistics of the De-
partmept of Labor.
The report shows that the first effect
of the war was the same practically
throughout Europe. Its outbreak was
followed by a sharp rise in prices. due
mainly to panic and uncertainty. In
some countries legislative measures
were at once taken to check this rise.
In others the governments strictly ad-
hered to 'hands-off' policy, and
trusted to the natural course of events
for readjustment. Within fortnight
the first panic was over and except in
the actual war zone prices began to
fall. In most places. however prices
did mot drop to the July level. and after
an interval again took an upward turn,
which has probably not yet reached it's
climax. the report says.
Matter of Serious Concern.
The Importance and full significance
in the increases in prices which oc-
CURED would not be fairly presented
without reference to the fact that in
creased cost of living, and especially
the increase in food prices, has for
several years been a question of seri-
ious concern in practically all of the
European countries. The upward move
ment in prices prior to the war had, in
fact, been world wide. An inquiry of
the British Board of Trade in 1912
showed increases in food prices in vari-
Gus countries over prices in 1900, rang
ing from Is per cent in Great Britain
and France to 16 per cent in Australia.
to 30 per cent in Germany, to 32 per
cent in Belgium and 35 per cent in Aus
tria. In Canada and in the United
States the increase shown was even
greater than the highest of these fig
ures Thus it will be seen that the in
creased prices directly due to the war,
coming as the elimination of long
serious to the masses of the population
than the mere figures indicate. 1t is
obvious. too, that the increases of the
first four to six months represented
only the beginning of the wars effect
on the cost of living.
Flour showed decided changes. Rus
sia is the greatest wheat exporting
country of Europe. and the war prac-
tically shut off its foreign markets.
1t is not surprising, therefore, to find
that the price of wheat -four had
actually fallen in Moscow. In Germany
and Austria the rise was marked.
prices compared with the July level
in Germany showing an increase of 25
per cent by December and "a per cent
by January. In Vienna the increase
by December was 73 per cent and by
January S2 per cent. In Switzerland,
the Netherlands and Great Britain
-four prices in December were 13 or
IA per cent above the July level, but
later figures show a continued increase
in February. reaching "a per cent in
the Netherlands and 33 per cent in
Great Britain. Bread prices in most
cases followed those Of wheat -four
In Germany and Austria, however, the
increases in the prices of bread were
somewhat less than those in the price
Of wheat flour.