It does not follow, however, that this ratio fairly represents the relative prices paid in the two countries for the necessaries of existence. In the United Kingdom report the price levels of different towns were compared by the amount required to purchase the groceries, meat, and coal in an approximate average workingman's budget. In order to furnish a similar comparison in the present case the following table is given showing relatively how much the average British workingman would have to pay if he went to live in Germany and purchased the same kinds of food in the same quantities as he had previously used in England. The table shows that his expenditure would be increased in the ratio of 100 to 118.

COST OF THE AVERAGE BRITISH WORKINGMAN'S WEEKLY BUDGET (EXCLUDING TEA AND COFFEE) AT THE PREDOMINANT PRICES PAID BY THE WORKING CLASSES OF ENGLAND AND WALES AND OF GERMANY, IN OCTOBER, 1905.

On the other hand, the German workingman going to live in Eng land would not reduce his expenditures for food in as high a rat as 118 to 100, for his purchases as shown in the following table a entirely different in quantity from the British workingman's, and some cases, notably potatoes and milk, he buys more of articl which are dearer in England and Wales than in Germany. T table shows that his expenditure would be decreased in the rat of 108 to 100.

COST OF THE AVERAGE GERMAN WORKINGMAN'S WEEKLY BUDGET (EXCLUDING TEA AND COFFEE) AT THE PREDOMINANT PRICES PAID BY THE WORKING CLASSES OF ENGLAND AND WALES AND OF GERMANY, IN OCTOBER, 1905.

The differences in the amounts consumed and the sums spent for the chief commodities by workingmen's families receiving certain specified weekly incomes are brought out in the two following statements:

RATIOS OF THE QUANTITIES OF CERTAIN ARTICLES OF FOOD CONSUMED BY WORKMEN'S FAMILIES IN GERMANY, RECEIVING SPECIFIED WEEKLY INCOMES, TO THE QUANTITIES OF THE SAME ARTICLES CONSUMED BY WORKMEN'S FAMILIES IN GREAT BRITAIN WITH CORRESPONDING INCOMES.

RATIOS OF THE AMOUNTS SPENT ON CERTAIN ARTICLES OF FOOD CONSUMED BY WORKMEN'S FAMILIES IN GERMANY, RECEIVING SPECIFIED WEEKLY INCOMES, TO THE AMOUNTS SPENT ON THE SAME ARTICLES BY WORKMEN'S FAMILIES IN GREAT BRITAIN WITH CORRESPONDING INCOMES.

An inquiry into the rates of wages prevailing in October, 1905, in the various towns canvassed was made as complementary to the one into rents and prices. In order to facilitate comparison, four industries were selected which were represented in all the towns with few exceptions, and in which the standard rates of wages could be ascertained with accuracy. These industries were the building trades, engineering, printing, and municipal employment; and the rates in Berlin were again taken as the base for the index numbers. The rates referred to are in all cases weekly rates.

The following table, which is exclusive of Berlin, shows the predominant range of weekly wages for each of the occupations in the selected standard industries in towns of Germany:

RATES OF WAGES IN TOWNS OF GERMANY, OCTOBER, 1905.

RATES OF WAGES IN TOWNS OF GERMANY, OCTOBER, 1905-Concluded.

In the following table is shown the predominant rate of weekly wages for skilled men for each of the specified occupations in the building, engineering, and printing trades in 12 towns of Germany, selected as to certain geographical districts:

RATES OF WEEKLY WAGES IN 12 SELECTED TOWNS OF GERMANY, OCTOBER, 1905.

In the table following index numbers are given comparing (with Berlin as the base = 100) the weekly rates of wages of workmen in the four specified industries in the different towns of Germany, the towns being arranged in seven geographical groups:

RELATIVE LEVEL OF WEEKLY WAGES IN GERMAN TOWNS AS COMPARED WITH

BERLIN.

RELATION OF RATES OF WAGES TO RENTS AND PRICES.

The presentation which follows shows for each of the geographical groups of Germany the mean index numbers for rent and prices and rent and prices combined, together with the mean index numbers for the weekly rates of wages of skilled men in the building, engineering, and printing industries. Berlin has been taken as the base (100) in each case. In the construction of the index numbers for rent and prices combined, prices have been given a weight of 4 and rent a weight of 1.