GREAT BRITAIN. The Board of Trade Labor Gazette for October, 1915, reports that retail prices of food advanced about 3 per cent between September 1 and October 1. Apart from the seasonal advance in eggs, the largest increases were in the prices of tea and granulated sugar. The tea duty has been raised from 3d. (6 cents) to 7d. (14 cents) per pound, and about 70 per cent of the returns show an increase of 4d. (8 cents) per pound in the retail prices. The increases recorded for granulated sugar are usually a halfpenny (1 cent) per pound. Expressed in percentage form, the average increase in prices for both tea and granulated sugar is 14 per cent. Butter, milk, and fish advanced 7, 5, and 4 per cent, respectively, and bacon 3 per cent. Meat, bread, flour, cheese, and oleomargarine remained practically unchanged in price, while potatoes showed an average fall of 6 per cent. As compared with October 1, 1914, the general level of prices showed an increase of about 26 per cent. Regarding particular commodities, for instance, tea was about 50 per cent higher; fish, 40 per cent; meat, bread, flour, butter, and eggs showed increases of from 25 to 35 per cent; cheese of 20 per cent; and bacon, milk, and potatoes of about 15 per cent. Granulated sugar was 7 per cent higher, and oleomargarine showed a slight decline. Compared with July, 1914, it appears that the price of sugar has about doubled, its present price being 4d. (8 cents) instead of 2d. (4 cents) per pound; tea is about 50 per cent higher; domestic meat approximately 40 per cent; and imported meat about 50 per cent higher. Flour has advanced a trifle over 40 per cent, and bread a trifle under that. The rise in the price of butter averages 34 per cent; bacon and cheese are 27 and 26 per cent, respectively, higher; and milk 18 per cent. Oleomargarine remains unchanged, while potatoes and eggs are affected by seasonal causes. "Taking all the articles together, and making allowance for their relative importance in working-class household expenditure, the average increase in the retail prices of food since the beginning of the war may be put at about 40 per cent. This figure relates to food only, and in estimating the increased cost of living generally this increase must not be applied to the total family expenditure, but only to that proportion which is expended on food." The table following shows the percentage increase in prices of certain articles of food in Great Britain since July, 1914. The semimonthly Bollettino of the Italian Labor Office publishes at the beginning of each month a short table of retail prices of seven articles of ordinary consumption, showing average prices in several cities (40 to 42), as furnished by cooperative stores, local labor unions, and chambers of commerce. Relative prices of these same commodities are also shown in parallel columns, the base from which changes are reckoned being the average prices for the year 1912. The following table shows the actual and relative prices of the seven commodities for each of the months, May to August, 1915, as compared with prices of the corresponding months of 1914: ACTUAL AND RELATIVE PRICES OF 7 ARTICLES OF FOOD BASED ON AVERAGE PRICES IN 40 TO 42 CITIES IN ITALY, MAY TO AUGUST, 1914 AND 1915. AVERAGE ACTUAL PRICES. SWEDEN. Average monthly prices gathered from 44 different centers throughout the kingdom showed, in comparison with July prices, that out of a list of 56 articles 33 increased in price, among which were included butter, cheese, fresh eggs, meats (with the exception of mutton, pork, and salt herring). A decline in price was noted for 9 articles, including potatoes, peas, coffee, oatmeal, and rice. The price of 16 articles remained unchanged, including milk, oleomargarine, flour, rye bread, sugar, salt, and kerosene. The prices of wood, coal, and coke have gone up very generally, and of the latter commodity there is reported a shortage. Reports on the wholesale price of cattle from three markets showed a considerable increase in price during the month, while the price of veal increased very inconsiderably, and the price of sheep remained unchanged. The following table shows the average monthly prices from 44 centers during August, 1913-1915, and for July, 1915, of 28 commodities of household consumption: AVERAGE MONTHLY PRICES OF 28 COMMODITIES DURING AUGUST, 1913, 1914, AND 1915, AND JULY, 1915, BASED UPON THE PRICES IN 44 LOCALITIES. [Source: Sociala Meddelanden utgivna av K. Socialstyrelsen. Stockholm, 1915. No. 9.] EMPLOYMENT IN NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1915. A bulletin from the bureau of statistics and information of the State industrial commission reviews conditions in the labor market in the State for September as follows: The improvement in business which has been manifest all summer continued throughout September, the number of factory employees in that month being 5 per cent greater than in August and the amount paid in wages being 4 per cent greater. Although in manufacturing September is a more active month than August, the improvement in September of 1915 over August was more marked than the improvement during the same period in 1914. Further, whereas the general trend of manufacturing activity from June to September of 1914 was downward, the general trend in the same period of 1915 was upward. In September the State's manufacturing establishments employed 5 per cent more hands and paid out 9 per cent more in wages than a year ago. Excluding the clothing industry, the tobacco industry, paper making, and the industries dependent on building and construction operations, the improvement was still more marked. The greatest improvement was shown during the month by the metal-working industry, particularly by concerns manufacturing firearms and automobiles. The only branch of the metal industry not operating at least as actively as in 1914 was that branch fabricating architectural and structural iron. Next in importance to the metalworking industry as to its activity during the month was the fur and leather-working industry. The boot and shoe industry employed 11 per cent more hands and paid out 20 per cent more wages in September than a year ago. Other industries showing improvement, but to a less degree, were the stone, clay, and glass industries, woodworking, chemical industry, printing and paper making, and textiles. The clothing industry showed a seasonal increase in activity in September, the industry as a whole being below 1914 in volume of business. No changes were reported in August or September in the food, beverages, or tobacco group. The percentage of idleness of organized workmen in factory trades was less in September than in either 1913 or 1914, but not so low as in 1911 and 1912. In the building trades the percentage of unemployment was 6.8 points lower in September of this year as compared with last year, but nevertheless considerably above that for any other recent year. Returns from 50 representative trade-unions in transportation showed a slightly improved demand for labor in the transportation industry in 1915 as compared with 1914; but the September percentage of unemployment this year was still substantially above that for 1910, 1912, and 1913, though not above that for 1911.. The first table which follows shows the percentage of workmen employed and wages paid in each month compared with June (June equals 100) for July, August, and September of 1914 and 1915 for 11 important manufacturing industries. The second table shows the per cent of unemployment in representative trade-unions for four groups of trades during each of the months June to September, 1914 and 1915, and at the end of September, 1912, 1913: COMPARISON OF EMPLOYEES AND TOTAL WAGES IN 1914 AND 1915 IN REPRESENTATIVE MANUFACTURING FIRMS. Industry group.1 Percentage of employees and wages in each month compared with June July. Aug. Sept. July. Aug. Sep:. July. Aug. Sept. July. Aug. Sept. 95 99 97 95 97 102 106 Total (33).. 92 96 91 95 99 98 104 100 102 102 102 1 Figures in parentheses indicate for each industry group the percentage of total factory employees in that group, which is included in these returns. |