SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Under this heading we notice each 'Books of the week as have not too reserved for review in other formal Notes. (Issued by the Unionist Free-Trade Club, 38 Victoria Street, S.W.)—This monthly pamphlet issued by the Unionist Free-Trade Club is always moderate and reasonable in tone, and at the same time provides admirable powder and shot for the Unionist Free-trader. The March issue is a particularly good number. Under the heading " The Limits of Scientific Taxation" the editor of Notes points out how in Germany scientific taxation has failed to provide for the needs of revenue. In the German Empire the yearly deficit in the national balance-sheet has become chronic. The public Debt has steadily increased to huge dimensions, and the Minister of Finance, after casting about in all directions to try to devise some new scheme which would produce more revenue, recently resigned his post. The editor goes on to quote from the Berlin correspondent of the Times of last November the statement that the present time is not a favourable one for the imposition of fresh financial burdens. "The high price of food is only paralleled by
the increasing cost of coal and other commodities . Scientific arguments fail to silence those who, for example, calculate that some fourteen thousand children in Berlin exist almost entirely
on bread and coffee The Socialists are never tired of repeating that the agrarian tariff is responsible for the increase in the price of bread and other articles of food, that wages have not risen to the alleged extent, and that the price of commodities like coal is still increasing." Other exceedingly interesting articles in the March Notes are those on " British Wages " and "Re-al Wages," showing how greatly marked, if we take purchasing power, which is the real test of wages, has been the increase in remuneration of British labour during the past six years. Issued with the March Notes is a capital leaflet on " Unemployment in Germany." The leaflet in question says in detail what Mr. Malcolm says in short in his letter in another part of our issue of to-day.
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