Evening star., 1947-01-28
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to keep body and soul together. Ye
even these slim amounts, such a.
the daily half-pint OF milk for small
children, cannot be obtained a
government established prices. TIL,
housekeeper presents her coupons
and the storekeeper shugs hi
shoulders, saying that he has no
been able to obtain anything from
the official markets.
But when the would-be purchaser
suggests that he can. pay higher
price, everything appears from be-
hind the counter. There are chick.
ems at $50 francs pound ($2.10 a
the official rate of exchanged; there
Is good meat at 400 francs a pound
shoes at 5000 francs a pair ant
mems suits at 10000 francs.
1t is difficult, however, to estimat.
the actual cost of living by estab'
fishing q relationship between tn,
franc and the dollar. The of11cia
rate of the franc is set arbitrarily
at 119 to the dollar. But in the vast
black market the value of the franc
varies between $50 and 800 to thu
dollar.
Wage-Price Link Is True Index.
The real criterion by which tt
judge the cost of living is the rela.
tionship between wages and prices
A stenographer, for instance, earn,
between 5000 and 5000 francs 8
month. That is to say, If she has te
buy q pair of shoes she must &c
without food and cannot pay. rent
for a whole month. A captain ir
the French Army receives 25,O0t
francs a month. A cotton shirt o1
poor quality costs $500. The aver.
age earnings of factory worker are
10000 francs a month.
A simple meal in q "bistro" "a
combination bar and diner) is 45(
francs per person. And many fine
it cheaper to eat out rather thar
pay the fancy prices of the butcher
and the grocer. France produce.
good fruits, yet apples sell for 81
cents apiece, while pears sell for a:
much as a dollar apiece.
One must eat and occasionally
buy clothes. The only way out is tt
make q black market of ones own
The taxi driver will not accept q
fare without first inquiring where
the prospective customer is goine
and driving a hard bargain for pay.
ment over and above the sum showr
on the meter.
There is no government control o1
prices in restaurants, which charge
what the trafIic will bear. The aver.
age price for a meal in good eat.
ing place is between TOO and 85t
francs. An additional IS per cent |:
added for service. AS in German!
and italy during the Nazi and Fas
cist regimes, the unions have de-
cided that tipping is not compatibl,
with the dignity OF the man whos'
profession it is to serve. But bewar.
II you fail to leave an extra 81
francs on the table. The next TIM
you will not be served. And restau
rant captains and walters have .
nose for the tipping and nontippini
patrons.
Movement in Self-Defense.
Wine is rationed by the govern
ment and can be purchased, ik'
everything else. only with a coupon
But it is very seldom that bottl'
of "pinard" is available on'presenta
ton of the ration book. The oficia
price for a fair bottle of wine Is 18'
francs. BY adding 20 to 80 per cen
to this official price you can buy al
the wine you can drink.
The black market in France ha'
not been created by desire on tn.
part OF those who are engaged II
this traffic to get rich quickly. 1t il
a movement in self-deiense on th'
part of producers, retailers and al
those who sell their services or good
to meet the high cost of living. Il
the butcher or the grocer were t<
sell meat, butter or coffee at officia
prices he could not earn enough Il
buy himself and his family needee
clothing.
The government onicial is equally
compelled to use his limited power
to increase his starvation wages. Ar
individual applying for a passpor'
at the prefecture of police is tolt
that ne may have to wait 10 to q
weeks for his request to be consid'
cred. But on payment OF 1,500 francs
he can have his passport within foul
days.
This may appear as rank dishon.
esty and graft to an American. Il
used to be so considered by many
Frenchmen. But today when thu
subject is discussed with the highest
government ofiicials, they say it i!
deplorable, but after all these mer
have families and must live.
The whole Of France is q vas
black market. The producer black.
markets his goods in order to pa!
inflated retail prices. The retailer
blackmarkets in his particular fielt
In order to pay the high prices fol
things he himself has to purchase
And the ofiicial and worker are com.
PEELED, in order to live, to exaci
tribute" for the work for which
they are paid government estab.
lished wages or fixed prices.
1t Is q vicious circle and tn,
French politicos have not been able
or are reluctant. to find q way out