The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1916-04-01

persons who have brothers fighting at
the front, on one side or the other.
A letter received, this week, by Joseph
L. Bishop, of Zion Law Department,
from brother who served through the
Dardanelles campaign, is of interest. 1t
/ is headed Somewhere, Arabian Desert
Soldiers in the field are not allowed to
disclose, in their letters, where they are,
neither do they themselves know where
they are going.
On the outside of the envelope is a
certificate, signed by the sender, in
which he says: II certify on my hon
or that the contents of this envelope re-
fer to nothing but private and family
matters" The letter among other
things, says:
eve have been on Gallipoli Peninsula
for the past five months, but our with
drawal is now history. At present we
are awaiting developments mo one knows
where we are to be sent. We are not
permitted to write details of our actions,
so do not think that | am omitting owing
to Indifference. There are so many
'don'ts' issued to us, that I find it safer
to keep off military matters. Later on,
| hope to be able to write you an account
of my experiences"
WHERE WILL 1T END?
A year ago Americans laughed when
speaking of war prices, and refused to
treat the matter seriously; but today
they are beginning to face the grim re-
ality. And still the prices on almost all
commodities continue to soari
Cotton goods, wooden fabrics, silks,
everything within the means of
poor and rich alike, has gone up in price,
until today no price on any materials
can be absolutely guaranteed for any
length of time. Today, the merchants
know what the prices are for today; no
one seems to be in a position to predict
when the next 'rise'' will come, nor
what it will be.
During the last few months, the price
of paper has greatly advanced, and in
dications are that prices will be still
higher. The reason for this is the ap-
parent shortage of certain raw materi-
ais, and their greatly increased cost.
The chemicals used by paper manu-
facturers in making bleaching powder,
have been bought in great quantities,
during the past few months, by the ma
kers of high explosives, so that this mar
ket has become very demoralized. This
accounts for the shortage of supply, and
the very high prices of such chemicals
All leather goods begin to show great
er strength than ever beforehand there
is reason! We will quote here from
an address delivered by Mr.. w. F. Pra-
ther, of the Rice & Hutchins Co.'S. Wom-
ans Dept, Baltimore, Maryland, at the
Annual Banquet of the Washington, D.
C. Shoe Retailers Association. He said:
During the period from November 1,
1914, to November 1, 1915, the exports
of shoes and leather from this country.
were $76, ,434, $50 in excess of the same
period twelve months previous. With
that increase in exports, our imports in
calf skins were a little more than five
million skins, as against nearly eleven
million skins the year before-or less
than one half. Our imports of colt skins
and horse hides, were 347, ,407 as against
998, ,672, or little more than one-third.
Now with our exports about 7615 mil
lion more, and our imports more than
SO per cent less than the previous year
and when we know our population is
increasing, and that the demand for
shoes is twice as heavy as ever before,
| you can see what is before u.s.
No one, therefore, need be surprised
at a steady advance in the price of all
leather goods. Shoes are approximate
ly 20 per cent higher now than they
were twelve months ago, and will ad-
vance at least 25 to 40 per cent. more
before the fall season arrives.
Well may we ask ourselves the ques-
ton: "Where will it end?' Under these
existing conditions it behooves us as
loyal American citizens to zealously
guard all our resources, and not waste
anything. Remember, the end is not
yetw
MR.. BACH, AND SON, PRISONERS OF WAR