Battling the flu yesterday, I paid 25 centavos for just one Cafiaspirina pill — an indication that prices have started to run away and the Japanese can't or won't do anything about it. In fact, the big shots with Japanese connections are leading the way as they have little to fear. Others must raise their prices too or risk selling out and being unable to restock except at diminishing levels.

Getting things in from the provinces is difficult enough because of the lack of transportation, but Japanese pilfering enroute has spoiled profits and the incentive to transport. Food is stuck in the provinces while the cities are short. Mangoes are spoiling outside while we pay high prices for the same here. Meanwhile, a recent propaganda picture in the papers of Indochina rice being unloaded is now rumored to have come from Batangas!