War as a wage raiser has brought to a considerable proportion of the laboring classes in England some compensation for the increased cost of living. Social workers estimate that the increased cost of living averages at least ten per cent, while the average increase in wages is not over five per cent. The plentiful supply of overtime work available in most trades makes it easy for most workmen to more than even matters. The upward tendency of the English workingman’s wages has been very marked. According to the official board-of-trade reports, the increases granted during the month reached a total of nearly $365,000. The number of workpeople who shared the increases was 440,000. Increased wages in some of the leading branches of industry are summed up briefly as follows: Railwaymen--All-around increase of seventy-five cents a week. Longshoremen--Increases varying from twenty-five cents to two dollars a week. Policemen--War bonus of seventy-five cents a week upward. Carpenters--War bonus of one dollar to one dollar and fifty cents a week. General Laborers--Increase of seventy-five cents to one dollar and fifty cents a week. Miners--Employers generally offer ten per-cent advance in pay; miners demand twenty per cent. Postal Employees, Including Telephone and Telegraph Workers--Increase of one dollar a week has been demanded. Gas Workers--Increases averaging one dollar a week. Bakers--Increase of one dollar and twenty-five cents a week asked, but employers’ offer of seventy-five cents accepted pending negotiations. Textile Workers--Bonus for overtime work in factories doing work on army clothing. Boot and Shoe Workers--War bonus of five to ten per cent granted in some places. Coppersmiths--Average wage before war, nine dollars; now twelve dollars and fifty cents. Clerks--Some increases; 180,000 grocers’ assistants have asked a readjustment of wages; similar movements pending in other branches. Engineering and Building-trade Workers--Some sections have secured substantial increases. The number of unemployed in Great Britain shows a large falling off. Reform Ousts Tiny Cripple from Stand. “Little Georgie,” the tiny hunchback negro, who for nearly a score of years has had the privilege of conducting the bootblack stand in the basement of the war department, in Washington, D. C., has to move because of the reforms inaugurated by Colonel W. W. Harts, U. S. A., superintendent of public buildings and grounds. Georgie is heartbroken, but, with a catch in his high-pitched voice, he said: “Well, I made out pretty well to stay as long as I did, but I can’t see how my little bootblack stand here in the dark alcove bothered anybody very much!” In addition to the stand, Georgie conducted a little store for the sale of sweets to the employees of the war department. He served also as guide to the interesting portions of the building and the various exhibits of uniforms and models of warships. Weird Old Man of the Pine Mountains.