The sun., 1916-09-17
-|IiE nightmare of the high cost
Of living has reused the bill
L payer from his worried slumber

Of living has reused the bill
L payer from his worried slumber
again. Announcement has been made
that the price Of milk Is to 60 up IA
cent n quart, commencing October l.
The merry go round discussion Of do
nestle economy problems. already
vhlrling for over q decade, starts on
a new turn.
II is rather discouraginE to try to
get at facts. Ask any price maker for
an explanation Of why he has raised
his prices and no will tell you that he
has lone 1t because some other price
maker started raising first. Go to the
other price maker and he will accuse
n third.
Follow this endless chain to tho
farmer, and you think you have the
culprit nipped. lie used to ascribe all
Ills price raising to the bad crops
Providence sent; cut even the farmer
$ now on the merry go round. He
will tell you he has boosted prices be-
cause-well. for one reason, because he
las TO pay more for his boots. Then
YOU start for the bootmaker-but you
only start. You never go to him. for
you know he's going to blame some-
body else.
But despite the difficulties besetting
the inquiry. 1t is possible to obtain a
percentage Of facts about the cost or
living now as compared with FIVE and
ten years ago. The merry go round
befuddlement has only tn do with the
causes for the increase In the cost OK
living. 1t Is clearly possible to obtain
from price records OF the past the
changes between then and now. even
though you give up in despair the
task Of finding the reason for the
change.
The reader will find here an account
Of these changes. They may give some
comfort to the perplexed bill payer.
They will show in some instances that
reports OF big increases have been
greatly exaggerated.
Compared with 1906 and 1911. these
three things may be accepted as
thumbnail deductions.
Food. You must pay more or eat
less.
Clothing. You must pay more or
wear lcss-that is. n smaller quantity
or a lower grade.
3~-Sheltcr. Rent. You must pay
more or ride more.
Summed up. II may be said that the
hi payer need pay no more for
clothing or house rent than he did in
1906 and 1911. But lie cannot dodge
. TIE food cost. II in the past he was
living close as to table, so close as 10
deem everything lie ate "A necessity
70 keep his body In tune. then In 1916
re is unable to buy sufficient food for
Ills proper nourishment because Of the
Increase OF prices. OF course II he
.ndulged In table luxurles In the past
this deduction does not apply, for he
would naturally drop the luxuries a
costs scared.
Right at the threshold Of the con.
sideration Of New York food prices. On
in fact the food prices Of any city
tho magic word location" must bt
borne In mind. It Is location thai
upsets all statistics about the high cos
Of living and forces the making o.
price tables according as they arc
wholesale costs.
The retail butcher pays a standard
price for his meat. But there Is NJ
standard price with him when he !:
the seller. 1t Is useless to seek
standard price.
Two butchers will each take a sid
from the same beef. One will sell 4
20 Riverside Drive folk and he'll sell l
mountain high. The other will cart l
over on the lower Cast or West Sid'
and he'll sell It for what he knows II
the most he can get for il in a neigh
borhood OF poorly paid people.
Go to The Bronx and you get on
price. Go to Brooklyn and you &c
another price. Go IN m side o
Manhattan and you pay 10 cents
pound more han you do on the otheI
side. So when the high cost of livinI
g discussed anywhere the first thinl
20 be asked il, I'm what locality doe
II cost you so and so Il pound?"
1.-The only positive indication Of price
~ food products" pointed out Franl
Green. managing editor of BrddstrCct's
ftom whose statistics man of the dat;
given here were obtained. must com
from the wholesale quotations. II 80