Salt, which is made in large pans beside the sea, has for the same reason, suffered in production, and is three times the old price. Eggs have gone up, because so many are being exported, and because of a new egg-powder factory, which absorbs much Of the local production. In the good old days $1 bought over 160 eggs, which nowadays will fetch only about 20. But one can find no adequate reason for the tremendous increase in other local foodstuffs which are produced in abundance. For example, the two staple foods, rice and potatoes, have risen in cost, and yet are over-plentiful. The area produces more than sufficient of such necessities. Before the war 26 catties of rice could be bought for $1, and now eight catties, Potatoes have increased in price likewise from 100 catties to 20 catties for $1.
When asked, the farmers, producers and shopkeepers claim that they are entitled to cover their own increasing expenses. Some can say this in all honesty, but others are patiently taking unfair advantage of the opportunity, and profiteering to the impoverishing of the poor. The marvel is how the poor live at all; their incomes have not increased while the Cost of food and necessities has increased some 200 per cent. They were poor beforehand; some are getting into debt. All have accepted a lower standard of living, which was never sufficient for health and respectability. Employees of companies, schools and government ofices, fare better since they all receive bonuses partly to cover the increased costs of living. Summing up, the situation is full of peril for the future, though to a large extent beyond control. Yet there are grounds for believing that the government could and ought to control certain prices, so as to put a stop to indiscriminate profiteering.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.