New-York tribune., 1918-02-17
ReAexes of War

The rapid rise in the prices of all
commodities in India, especially of
foodstutfs and clothing, is causing the
authorities anxiety. 1t is estimated
that the population of Bombay has been
swollen by the addition of from 100000
to 100000 people through industrial ac-
tivities in connection with war work
and refugees from the plague centres.
Active measures taken to meet the situ-
alton, including the appointment of
controller, the fixing Of prices, the
opening Of cheap grain shops and the
establishment Of fair rents, are being
taken.
The budget submitted to the Nor
wegian Storthing recently was the larg-
est in the history Of the country. The
ordinary expenditure amounted to
about s18,00O,0O0 and the extraordinary
to 43,500,000. Notwithstanding the in
creased revenues during the financial
year, the Norwegian national debt was
increased by about 44,500,000. The ex-
penditure, not included in the budget,
which has been entailed by the main
tenance and defence of neutrality since
the beginning of the war amounted to
nearly s6,15O,OO0. The ordinary ex-
penditure has been doubled within the
last five years, chiefly owing to the
steadily rising cost Of labor and raw
materials, and, in particular, to the in
crease in the price of coal, while rail-
way expenditure has increased enor-
mously, notwithstanding that the fares
have been raised considerably.
Wheat growers in all the Australian
states are greatly concerned about the
prospects of disposing of future crops.
The state ministers of Victoria and
New South Wales have suggested that
farmers should take up stock raising in
preference to wheat growing, as being
more profitable, since cereals were &C.
cumulating at a great rate for lack of
shipping, and the British government
mad not disclosed whether it would pur-
chase this years harvest or not. Pro.
lessor Lefroy, who was sent to AUS
tral1a by the British government. told
the farmers at conference recently
That he could guarantee that the wheat
would stack safely for five years, and
begged them still to cultivate it. The
farmers decision will depend upon
whether Great Britain undertakes to
buy the crops garnered during the war.
even though they cannot be carried
overseas owing to shortage of shipping.
During the war the Swiss peasant has
paid greater attention than previously
to American agricultural machinery, in
Guiding tractors and motor plouehs.
The principal drawback to the introduce
tion of modern American agricultural
machinery in Switzerland is that few
farmers own more than five to ten acres
and about five to ten head of cattle.
Recently the larger peasant associa-
tlons have shown an interest in such
machinery, and they might act as pur
chasers of machines, renting them to
the farmers who are unable to buy out
right. Trials with motor ploughs and
other modern agricultural machinery
recently have been undertaken by the
zuckerfabrik Aarberg, Aarberg, Switz-
eriand, and the Landwirtsc
Schule Rdtti bel, Berne, Switzerland.
The results favorably impressed the
various experts Of the agricultural a.
sociations. Most of the systems tried
were of American manufacture.
Since the stoppage of most of the
breweries in Denmark the production
of yeast, which is by-product in this
manufacture, has been greatly reduced.
1t is now proposed to make the manu-
facture of yeast separate industry. in
which buckwheat will be the raw ma
ter1al. The government has forbidden
the use Of buckwheat for any other
purpose.