The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1916-08-04

the present $1,000 laborer was earning
on,y 500 or $500. with tho exception
of those directly interested In the mu'
nitions industry, the revenues OF Eng
lands wealthicst families generally
have been impaired, even before Nc
Kenna's tax collector comes around
The war reduced their rentals ana
business. also. very patriotically they
have transferred large, well paying In
yestmen's into smaller paying govern
ment securities. On the other hand,
the manual laboror and his family aro
prospering MS they mover could nave
hoped to in peace times, even though
he has gone to the war Tor III that
event the chances are that his WHO
and his daughters and his nndoragc
sons are working In munitions factor
les or elsewhere at wages he himself
would have been glad To get in other
days.
The war has temporarily remedlod
two Of England's greatest social evils,
unemployment and pauperism The
other evening the writer strolling down
Fleet street and the Strand. and re-
turning to the United Press Office BY
way of the Embankment, encountered
only two beggars- old men and
blind Two years ago he would have
been accosted by fifty or more. most
| of them ablebodied men eager 10 work,
A good deal has been said abou' the
Increased cost of living here as a re.
suit of the war Recent figures from
the Board OF Rrade Gazette place the
average advance In the price Of food
stuffs in the last two years at SO per
cent. including the increased duties on
tea and sugar. rs compared with an
estimated similar Increase in Germany
of 120 per cent This steadily dimln.
ishing purchasing power OF the pound
sterling has been more than compen.
sated BY the higher wages and In
creased opportunities for STEADY en-.
l.oyment for men and women. A visit
to one Of London's great department
stores sny afternoon would convince
even n casual investigator that the
standard Of living among the working
classes has improved The smaller Gus.
toners that pay cash have Increased IN
numbers, especially In the last year.
Former big credit accounts have dwin.
died. Particularly in munition making
districts have tradesmen been profit.
ing. Wage earning families who pre-.
v'orsly had scarcely enough TO keep
the wolf at bay now buy expensive
wearing apparel. jewelry. etc. In such
quantities that the national war say.
ings committee Is frantically flooding
the country with posters and pamph.
lets. and independent organizations
are sending out lecturers beseeching
the people to work hard. spend little
and save much" for post war days
There are scalawags in England 70.
Gay Just as there are In Gerualy;
sIAspine employers, extortionate mid.
dlemen, unscrupulous retailers, taking
personal advantage OF his abnoi mal
situation. Somewhere between ne
farmer and the housewife the price of
milk jumps from cents to IL cents a
quart. In the matter of bacon, In the
first five months OF 1916 England i'm.
ported nearly million and half hun.
more than In the CORE.
spending period of 1915: yet the gov.
ernment returns show an increase In
price to the consumer Of SO per cent, a
total increase since the war began of
more than so per cent The govern.
ment Is making real effort to locate
the particular culprits.
Nearly two million English women
are filling the places in industrial life ,
vacated by their husbands, fathers.
sons and brothers. From driving street
cars to making shells. switching rail.
road trains to plowing fields. there is
scarcely an avenue OF labor In Great
Britain not subject to the feminine In.
'asion. Most of them are making
mems wages and some of them Are
wearing mems clothes. The London
underground railways. and omnibus
'ystems are employing 1882 women
md girls. There are l,2OO women
treet car conductors in Glasgow. The
treat Central railway has filed the
'laces of l.756 Of Its 6,s2s men with
women. Fifty thousand women have
egistered with tho board of asricul.
nre to get out this years crops.
suffragists who used to smash win.
ows are washing them. Instead of ,
hying brickbats at cabinet ministsrs
r defacing golf links. they are nursing |
oldiers or painting ships. Cultured
omen who never before turned their