Newark post., 1916-02-16

Three definite plans for re-
ducing the high cost of living
were put forward by speakers at
the meetings of the Four-State
Country Life Association, held
last week in the Chamber Of
Commerce, Philadelphia. Three
outstanding suggestions of the
meeting were:
l. Intelligent consumption, COM
bined with intensive farming.
2. GO to market" Build more
city markets and induce women
to do their marketing in person
rather than by telephone.
3. Organized Standardization by
the farmers, through the medium
of cooperative associations.
Blame for economic pressure on
the modern city home was placed
on the housewives of America.
Unpleasant conditions in the
rural home, which drive boys and
girls to the cities, were de-
nounced.
Mrs. Julian Heath, of Brooklyn,
founder and president of the Ma
tional Housewives League, in a
plea for more intelligent con-
sumption, said that society had
always demanded that men be
trained to produce, but that wo-
men had never been trained to
spend.
housekeeping as a profession,
must be put on a business basis"
she continued. "a man knows the
market value of what he buys;
woman knows what she buys, but
not its market value. The city wo-
man knows that prices are high,
but makes no effort to learn why
they are high. An intelligent con-
sumption, based upon a scientific
study of production, will bring
about readjustment of condi-
tions and a solution Of the prob
lem. Country women are no bet
ter than city women in this re-
spect. A recent investigation in
nine states showed more impure
goods on country shelves than on
city shelves"
Mrs. Heath's criticisms were no
more severe than those of Mrs.
Jean Kane Foulke, of the Penn
sylvania State Department of Ag-
riculture. The reason so many
farmers f a m i | i es move from
farms into towns, she said, was
because tic work on the farm had
become "too hard for mother"
and the farmer had not kept
abreast of the times by installing
the appurtenances of modern
homes.
"The farmers wife has rebel
led" said Mrs. Foulke. "She has
made her fight and raised her
children. But the girls will not
stay, the boys are gone and she,
in middle life, is too old and
broken to continue the struggle.
Broken by what? Not honest daily
work, but dishonest work, or work
that has been turned into drudg.
cry by insanitary, ugly surround
ings, lack Of comfort and coven
fences, too long hours and menta
starvation. All this because the
men do not care!"
Marc Cole, of the New Yorl
State Department of Agriculture
made the statement that the com
mission system was all right i
properly administered, "but tn,
trouble is that there are too man,
thieves among commission mer
chants" Honesty and equalit.
were the first prerequisites to
solution of the high cost of liv
ing, in his opinion, but there wer
not 20 farmers in the Unite
States who would be willing t
standardize their goods.
At the morning session Mis-
Elizabeth Jefferson, of Delawar
State College, urged rural wome
to eliminate slavery from thei
homes" by the introduction G
scientific management and metf
DDS of efficiency in the homes. A
iteresting development in conne'
tion with the Conference was tn
announcement of the stand fc
Preparedness" taken by the N
tional Housewives League {
which Mrs. Julian Heath is pres
dent. An educationa: propagant
will be conducted in every sta
in the Union for "the better fee
ing of the masses" AS to tt
military significance of the NOV
ment, Mrs. Heath said a rece
rapOrt showed tb Of &C nov oop+