16 FEBRUARY 1945, Page 13

COST OF LIVING

Stu,—I see you say in your article on war gratuities that the cost of living will be appreciably higher than it was in 1919. May I point out that it is now 102 points above the t914 figure ; that in December, 1918 it was 120 points above it ; in 1919 it averaged 115 and in 1920 149. Unless there is complete reversal of the Government policy of price stabilisation—which is most unlikely—it would appear that post-war prices will be appreciably lower than in the years after 1918.—Yours