Evening star., 1917-01-22
GIVE FIRST NOTES
ON COST OF LIVING
Investigators of District Con-
ditions Report the Results
Are Highly Satisfactory.
HOLD CONFERENCE TODAY

| Investigators into the cost of living
conference this morning at the bureau
! of labor statistics. Department of La
Dor. which has charge of the survey
being made under Il resolution adopted
by Congress.
According to officials in charge of the
work. the first week of the investiga-
tion has been highly satisfactory. de-
spite the suspension of the canvass
made necessary on account of the fu-
neral of Admiral Dewey.
Reports of the investigators at the
experience meeting this morning
brought out the fact that the house
wives of the city are cordially Coop
Grating with the agents in their efforts
to get at the true facts as to the cost
of living in Washington. All the nine
woman investigators engaged in the
inquiry at various periods last week.
and who today renewed their rounds.
spoke in the highest terms of the
spirit of cooperation on the part of the
local housewives.
Reports of instances in which house
keepers had refused point blank to
answer the questions of the agents
were few and far between
Formative in Character.
Last weeks work in the northeast
section of the city. while resulting in
some valuable statistics, was necessar-
lily formative in character. being more
=
housewives to see how they took to
the investigation. This week the in
vestigators will start the inquiry in
real earnest having found out that the
householders are more than ready to
meet the investigators half way.
Investigations will continue this
week in the northeast section Of the
city and be extended into the south
west. and later into the other sections,
including the suburbs. The idea is to
get as complete and representative sta
trict to the average dweller in the Ma
tional Capitol as is possible, and not
to have the results reflect any one sec
ton of the District or any one set of
wage earnerS.
Those in charge of the Investigation
were hearty in condemnation this morn
ing of any efforts on the part of any
one to work up human interest" mat
ter out Of the results of the investiga-
tion before the bureau of labor statis-
tics is ready to make its full report
to Congress. 1t was pointed out that
the agents are Instructed to give the
their word that the mat
ter confided to them will be strictly
confidential. and that it is on this
basis that the workers are meeting
such cordial cooperation.
Bureau Registers Objection.
Misguided efforts to make public
human interest" stories of the results
are being frowned upon by the bureau.
as directly working against the efforts
of the agents.
at is planned tosrut newzsnvestigators
into the field as soon as it isAseen that
the result aimed at cannot be carried
through with the present force, the OBJ
ject being to complete it in eight weeks
at the farthest. 1t is believed that
about a dozen workers, of whom nine
are in the field today and one more
TO take up the work tomorrow, will be
enough TO carry on the inquiry, but if
these prove insufficient more will be
brought into service
Plans were completed this morning
at the bureau to extend that phase of
the investigation which has to do with
active cooperation day by day on the
part Of housewives in keeping exact
track of their expenses, the result to
be turned in to the bureau at the end
of a month.