New-York tribune., 1916-02-28
PRICES In PARIS
TREBLED BY WAR
Have Increased Seventy
five Per Cent i'm Last
Eight Months.
By FRED p. PITNEY.


~ Paris has failed and the "frlgo" IS
now rapidly becoming not only deli
cacy. but a habit with the Partisan
population. The people demand 1t and
the newspapers receive hundreds OF
letters daily asking where "frigo' can
be bought in the various quarters OF
the city.
Several hundred thousand tons OF re
frigerated beef were accumulated by
the government and stored In ware
houses while che preliminary cam
naign was being conducted to persuade
the people TO accept it. The price was
the great argument the government
had to offer, but the butchers Of daily
fresh meat opposed the new order vio-
!ently. They talked Of the unhealthi.
ness and Dad taste, 10 WHICH they
declared. Par.sians would never become
accustomed. and they prepared Tor
rloting. Moreover, they refused aoso-
lutely to handle "frigo.'
Call Ergo Exquisite.
When the day came that the govern
ment put refrigerated beer on saie
there was more or less riotlng, lhouah
il did not reach a very large scale.
soma shop windows were smashed and
during the night the signs announcing
the new business were torn down and
DESTROYED. But the government price
ercumcnt was overwhelming. The peo-
nle wanted cheaper meat. They desert
~ ksss fF
went TO the cooperative stores wnere
"frigo" could be had Some Of :he big
stores were compelled 10 put IN the
new food, and the little ones are grad
ualy following suit. while P'rslans
declare that the taste of "frigo,' IN
stead of being bad, is exquisite.
VOLTA, one partial victory over the
high cost of living. The next one that
would be welcomed would be reduc-
ton in the cost of coal. Four years
aro The Tribune conducted crusade
that prevented the coal barons from
adding % cents 10 the price Of = ton
of coal. How would you like it II you
were having $50 ton for coal?
And meat and coal are only two OF
III. items that have gone up. The full
list includes everything needed ior
daily life. There is not an exception.
Since last September there has been an
average increase OF 80 per cent IN the
cost of living in Paris. while between
July and September there had been an
increase Of 25 per cent. SO in eight
months there has been an increase OF
rs pcr cent over prices that were al
ready double the normal. II IS SIM
ple calculation from this that living IN
paris to-day costs three and half
times what II did before the war.
XIII Mother: Mulct Son
Here Is little story that seems to
me to 90 well with the question OF the
high cost OF living: oo
Last Tuesday evening, at lO:3OI
o'clock. an old lady left the house OF
her daughter, Mt 7 Boulevard de Chchy,
IN return 20 her own at Il, on the op-
nosite of the street. AS the old LADY
was prudent she carried small Ian
torn. the boulevard being in complete
darkness on account Of the "hgnts
out" order Of the military authorities
since the beginning Of the war.
A military convoy Of ten csmions
was passing along the boulevard at the
moment. and, contrary TO orders, the
first two had their searchlights going
- full strength. The eight camlons
following carried no light at oil. The
cld LADY was blinded by the powerful
light from the first two autos and she
did not see the others. When the hrst
two had passed she started to cross lhe
street and was knocked down by the
third car and run over by the whoIe
eight. IL.
latter from her son. who had recently
been modified. which gave his ad-
dress. But no attention was paid 20
the letter and her body was taken 10
the police station. where II remaihed
ali night in the corridor. AT half pass
ten the next morning. the body was
taken 10 the old lady's house and theh
a messenger was sent TO the son, VINO
had not been notified OF his mother
death. with bill for i3 francs for the
TRANSPORTATION Of the body to her nome
and a commission of IL francs FOR the
commissary of police.
Since August Is. 1914, the soldier hau
had no work and the symnath TIC police
nrenared 70 shovel his mother into the
potter's field that afternoon. In IN"
words Of the soldier; ,
~ had not even the conso alton OF
Giving last kiss 20 the mother VINO
bad given me my first caresses. Iheey
would have buried her as she wcs. with
her bones sticking through her torn
dress My brother was killed at Les
Fnarges. have had no work since
August 16, 1914. and if had not iouhG
friends to lend me some money /
wouId have had to see my mother
hurled with the paupers. They h1'i
INV mother and they make me pay
Theatres May Close.
There is conflict between the the,
otre managers and the Prefecture OF
Police. when the public funeral io5
the victims Of the last Zeppelin raid
was fixed for last Monday, the pre-
lecture ordered the theatre managers
10 give the days receipts TO the poor
fund. The theatres kept their receipts
for themselves. The prefecture Is de-
batting whether to seize the reeipts.
The managers say that II the receipts
are taken, they will close until the
money Is returned.