The troubles of the wine-growers in the South of France
have reached a serious stage, and the Government are threatened with a most difficult situation. The wine-growers are reduced to poverty in the midst of plenty, and something like passive resistance to the tax-collector is being organised. Side-issues complicate the problem, but the primary fact is that the wine districts are suffering from glut. It is a tragic paradox that having successfully fought the phylloxera, the growers should now be overwhelmed by the abundance of their harvests. A market can hardly be found for wine at less than cost price. Great demonstrations have been held at Narbonne, and at Beziers the Town Hall was besieged and the Mayor and Municipal Council were forced to resign. Every day new districts come into the movement. It is necessary to understand that even a glut as great as the present one would not have caused such a disastrous drop in prices if the practice of suerage—or treating the wine with sugar—bad not been employed to increase the output and lessen the cost of production. We may also mention the growing consumption of beer in France and the competition of Algerian wines. The growers have sent an ultimatum to the Government in which they demand that something should be done before June 10th to secure them fair prices. Mean- while the Cabinet have drawn up a Bill to prevent the improper use of sugar.
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