The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-02-11
New York and Chicago Deal
ings on Change Prevent Set
tied Condition Of Wheat
Market Says British Premier
HOUSEWIVES SIDE OF
WAR OCCUPIES COMMONS
Prices Of Foodstufs Increase
"a per cent Since Beginning
Of Hostins;es, IL Assertion
Before Parliament.

London. Feb. II C5:I1 d. mD--
Dealing with the FOOD question In the
house Of commons this afternoon.
Premier Asquilh said that deter
mining factor In the price OF wheat
WIS speculation on the New York aud
Cbicago market The premier said
these markets were In "a highly ncrv-
Gus and 'Jumpy" condition. lie an
ticipatcd. however. that this fever OF
speculation would abate after June.
The housewives side of the great
war occupied the afternoon attention
of the house Of commons. for this
body by motion invited the inter-
Nention of the government IN the pres
cnt fight which has been going on
against the increased cost of living
In the British isles.
The government already has APP
pointed parliamentary committee TO
Investigate this matter and Premier
Asquith explained 90 the house the
result OF the inquiry thus far made
and outlined certain proposed steps
dealing with urgent necessities OF the
case which nre causing much hard
ship on the poor
The premier admitted formida bic
rise In the cost OF the necessaries Of
life, but he contended that prices
were substantially below the level
which the best Informed Judgment Of
the country would have Anticipated
~ the end of % six months war in
volvinr large part OF the civilized
world. The levels OF food prices now
reached or likely to be attained in
the future did not exceed. the pre-
.l..flsaE.I -
were hclow the level which those still
living had experienced In times Of
peace.
Giving details OF representative in
creases. Premier Asquith snid that
the advance Ia the retail prices of
food, a. compared TO the period Just
before the outbreak of the war were
In London "a per cent iu other large
towns % pcr cent and In small towns
and villages 20 per cent
Ia the case of material commodi-
ties coming under the category OF tn.
necessarics of life the premier said
that wheat had Increased i2 per cent
over the prize FOR February. 1914:
flour 80 per cent, British meat six
per cent and foreign meat ~ per
cent; sugar ~ per cent and coal ~
per cent Compared 10 the range ~
prices at the ends Of the Franco
Prussian war the premier said every
thing except coal was dearcr than II
/ IL now.
/ Large expenditure by the govern
mcnt on separation allowances per-
mittcd the working classes to con-
sumo food ON nearly the same scale
as they did before higher prices
came. the premier continued. There
WAS little evidence uf any diminutiou
la the scale of consumption. ana u
allowance WAS made fug tt new ar
mics the working GLASSES ere now
consuming more rood per cad than
Ia any previous period.
The premier attributed ne rise IN
the price of wheat tn diminished SUP
piles and Increased demands
Among the factors IN the shortage
lof wheat are the closing of the Oar
dancllcs and the deprcdations upoi
crops !n the arena of the war. Pre-
mirr Asuuith said he did not thini
the shortage NJ wheat would las
long The difficulties ut trnnapor
,and freight rates have been factor
in the enhanced prices. hut they wcr
not determining factors. THE de
terminlng factor has been the price
on the New York aud Chicago mar
kcts the premier said These ar
in u highly nervous and iumpy coudi
tiou. nud i know of no wuy whereby
Amy government of the world cai
control speculation. AZ rule specu
lation provides its own remedy Ate
nest June there II reason to Hntici
pate that the fever OF speculation vii
, abNtc"
Continuing, the premier called ut
tcntion Ia the very yalunble Consump
A., tion of meat by the troops. declarinl
that no men were better fed than an
j British soldiers The stock OF suga
in the hands of the government wa
- sufficient Ia last for many month";
and the price OF sugar was now nu
. lproXimatcly the Same M In the Unit
I'D states, Notwithstanding the fat
that the United states has consider
able internal supplies of sugar as We
, as close connection with Cuba.
u ~77-7 7-H'-s- HH