Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 311, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1919 — WHOLE WORLD HARD HIT [ARTICLE]

WHOLE WORLD HARD HIT

Highl Cost of Living Is Felt’ Around Globe. England Has Experienced Increase in a's High as 135 Per Cent. Washington. —That the whole world fa struggling with the increased cost of living is indicated in reports to the «tate department. The increases in Europe are particularly high, “although In Latin-America the governments are anxious over the situation and are trying to find means of combating the difficulties presented by the high prices of commodities deemed essential. In Portugal the government, in an attempt to lower the cost of living, has placed, through' the minister of Hiinnce, a part of ita gold reserves In the banks of Lisbon..

In England the cost of living abovellving.

pre-war level is figured at 115 per cent for September and 120 per cent for October, as to actual necessities of life and based upon average living conditions of wag£-earners. A more distinct rise has occurred in the cost of commodities so far as the other elements of population iq England are concerned, being unofficially estimated by some at approximately 135 per cent with a steady upward trend. In Sweden figures furnished by the Swedish government indicate that the cost of living has increased 157 per cent over the cost in June. In the cities the Increase has been very much greater than the average for the country. Th Argentine government has snggested to other South American countries and discussed with them an international arrangement with a view to doing away with import duties on unmanufactured food products as one means of cutting down the high tost of