Sept, 22.
The Bulgarian Minister for Finance is a brave man. In his search for revenue, according to a telegram published elsewhere, he has had the temerity to invade the beauty parlours of the Bulgarian Jadies for the purpose of levying taxation upon the aids to which they resort for the perfectly unnecessary object of increasing their beauty. As a result there will be a ten per cent. tax on permanent waves, sham-has successfully held her own, and that she is now in a better position to take advantage in the change of the world's economic fortunes when it comes about.
The position is most encouraging, even when it is realised that not everything that was originally hoped for materialised. Men of the eminence of Sir Robert Home have announced that the world is rounding the corner from the depression through which it is passing; similar statements have been made by others of equal authority. There are signs in the United States that there also affairs are improving, and, while the outlook for certain specific commodities may still be dark, a general review of the situation supports the belief that the worst is practically past. There has been a_ tendency during these recent years to regard what has happened as something entirely new in the economic history of the world, but a glance back shows that similar crises have developed after similar causes, varying in importance with the dimensions of the military struggle which has preceded them. With the signs of improvement which have already been noticed it would be unwise to look forward to any really sudden change in the situation. Recent happenings on various exchanges have shown a_ disposition to take every advantage of an upward trend, to realise immediate profits, with a somewhat unsettling effect. That may very well be due to a speculative interest in recent developments rather than to the longer view of the real investor. To a certain extent increases may be due to political influences of no great degree of permanence, but it is difficult to disbelieve the accuracy of the general impression that conditions are showing signs of improvement. If that indeed be so then what Great Britain has done during the past year, the enorimous sacrifices she has made, the sacrifices which she still has to offer, have had and will have the effect of best fitting her to seize full advantage of the march towards prosperity when it comes into full swing. In that respect this year has been a wonderful and inspiring one and the best possible augury of the good years which it is universally expected are ahead.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.