Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-06-10
z 4EAPTT ATlD
HOWE RALKS
M. BY DAhB PA u OHD
Ore Way to Reduce the Cost of Living

@1HAT the present high cost of living would work for good In unen
\ pected ways Is being proven every day. This problem that hs
~ ne OF IL that 1t becomes a absolute necessity to put our wits to
work to SCI what we an do to solve it. We cannot treat It with indifference
we cannot complacently say 1t affects others but OF US, We cannot IN
u III 1t Is oly for a little while and W g can stand IT,. 1t comes right
into our everyday life. 1t makes for Inconvenience, discomfort, positive
unhapptness. And every day that It confronts US 1t Is a serious menace to
the wel-being Of the family. So that 1t is necessary to take hold Of 1t and
sanquish 1t.
All sorts OF people are taking hold Of 1t aud trying to solve it., from
economic writers seven Ito the Legislators of the land who are putting tha,
mighty brains to the task and lnsttuuns searching Investigations that SO
III, ho"e'er nave ytiued little PRACTICAL result. But the wheels Of all
such machinery, sven should 1t accomplish anything, turn slowly, and in
the meanwhile we suffer. So here and there little groups Of determined,
practical women have taken u the problem and III getting immediate.
good results
One such group is tho wives of mtIworkers IN a industrial section of
Philadelphia. Pa. The high cost of living pressed particularly hard here
q once o husbands and children would not have enough nourishtnE food
to keep them in health.
go these women got together, talked the matter YER and decided
upon cooperative buying, Each subscribed twenty dollars to II, the plan
In operation hey rented q room, engaged a man to manage the business
and then they bought at wholesale prices the foodstufs they needed. Thus
they cut ut all profits OF the cost of their heats and groceries and much
for show, and they were sure of the quality Of the goods they secured.
The cost to them of what they needed for the table as 80 phenom-
enaly 10 compared to what they had been paying. that soon nearly all
the women of the netghborhood were clamoring to share in such a good
for that is what ii is now called, has grown remarkably. 1t is really now
doing q big business. but the housekespsrs themselves gather IN the profits
Of the busfness In the a OF reduced cost fs commodities
And eve II in time, prices drop, Il is doubtful II this store will go out
of existence. 1t has proven Itself too valuable And IN addition t. the
good resuhs financially, there are other benefits. For the work lie broaden.
Ing hese women and showing them the value of getting together, and II
So there ire two aces to everything And this high cost of living
hs goo gifts r u.s., If W e have the We to lee them 1t lay lead to
is worrying We the problem of making income and outgo match, who is
discouraged or dhheartened at the state OF her pooketbook, should not
up her hands in despair. But let, her face the problem hopefully al
having SOL good for her concealed about 1t. Let her study it carefully
rom IL sides. see If she and the other women If her neighborhooa
cannot wresta shining victory on the financial side of living from what now
7eems defea1