New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-16
Families Forced to Cut
Food and Clothing
Since 1912
HAM AND STEAK
LUXURIES NOW
Mechanics and Skilled and
Unskilled Laborers
Hardest Hit

The extent 20 which the standard Of
living in American families has been
lowered in recent years i. shown In a
study OF the household economic. Of
twenty men, all heads OF families. who
were interviewed by a representative Of
The Tribune.
Q -is householders questioned all
except one earned more than $4,000 a
year. All stated that not only wer.
their bills for fooo and clothing higher
now than four years ago, but they were
using cheaper articles Of food and
clothing.
Ham and Steak Cut on.
Ham was a common thing at our
breakfast table only three years ago."
saic one man. who has an income Of
$4,000, "but we have cut IL out and
have a rssher of bacon. Formerly
bought whenever we felt like eating
them. Now q steak OF any sort is q
rarity on our table. And as for i'm
ported jams and nsrmalades. which we
always had up 20 three years ago. they
are strangers in our house. The do
nestle article has taken their place"
Another is an employe Of a down
town bank, whose income in 1912
was S2.250. In that year he set aside
S4O0. His family then, as now, con-
sisted of wife and two children. lie
said that in 1913 he received an
increase in salary OF $3.50, yet despite
this he could put only 5000 in the bank.
The following year he put IN 800.
which represented Christmas present
from his employers. ,
MY wife and began 20 do little
figuring" said this bank employe, and
determined that II We were 20 set aside
a little sum 70 take care of us IN our
old age, as well az 20 provide FOR a
college training for our children-ve
would have 20 discharge our maid.
This was my wife's suggestion. We
did that in the summer Of 1915, but
we managed 70 put away only sl25
that year Beginning January l OF this
wear we have confined our eating 10
the plainest and simplest foods. In
stead Of eating steaks We eat chopped
meat balls, made from stew meat, cost
ing IS cents a pound That is only a
sample Of the economies We are prac-
Using to live in a manner bearing the
outward appearances of our living Of
four years ago.
Mechanics and Lsborers Suffer
The mechanic and the skilled and
unskilled laborer have been hardest nit.
One Of the last named class, employed
as a porter in a downtown commission
house. earns sl4 a week. This was his
wage four years ago. He had a wife and
two children then. He has three chill
dren now. the eldest twelve years old.
He was married in 1902. His wife, a
frugal Irish woman, was the fnancisr
Of the family and managed to save
little. On January !, 1918, she
had $500 in the bank. She drew out
The last OF il more than year ago, and
in the last twelve months she has been
able 20 make both ends meet only
through aid given by her brother, a
foreman Of a textile mill in Fall River.
The story of this family suggested a
visit 10 W. Frank Persons, recognized
authority on the economics OF the poor
and director of the general work OF the
Charity Organization Society. MI. Per
sons could not understand how family
Of wife, husband and three children IN
der fourteen could manage 70 1--we TO
cav on less than t22.75 a week.
"Because of the increase in living
cost" said Mr.. Persons in prepared
statement. "a 81 income in 1911, $50
income in 1915 and a I22.75 income IN
1916 seem 70 provide the same standard
of living for a family OF I'VE, CONSIST
ing Of a man, a woman and three chill
dren under fourteen.
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