New-York tribune., 1917-10-14
Prosperity Brings
Hardship to Many
Workers in City
Wages in Overcrowded
Fields Fall Behind Rise
in Living Cost


and industries have been revised up
ward 10 a plane never before attained
and the great majority Of workers are
enjoying Unprecedented prosperity, an
investigation. just completed by COM
missioner of Accounts Leonard NJ.
Wallstein, shows that earnings Of many
people in this city have failed 10 keep
pace with the rise in prices. In
report to the United States Senate, for
which the study was made, Mr.. Wall
stein states that stenographcrs, clerks,
shop girls, Office boys and scrubwomen
arc suffering most as result OF the
higher cost OF living. In the mercan-
tile field general clerks, packers and
bookkeepers are more plentiful than
jobs. and, consequently, there has been
no general increase OF pay in these oc-
cupations.
The hardship arising from these con-
ditions Is apparent when it is consid-
cred that there are about 10000 scrub
women in the city who are paid $50
month now, the same as in 1914, al
though this $50 buys only about $50
worth of food to-day.
Laborers. machinists. mechanics. on
the other hand, are being paid much
higher wages.
Increase Not General
at is very unfortunate" said Com
missioner Wallstein, that increased
pay should not be general. just as the
increased cost is. Laborers. machin-
lists. mechanics and the like are being
paid more, which is as it should be.
since the cost of living has risen so
sharply that 1914 wage rates for la
borers in 1917 would mean thousands
of hungry families in New York City.
Junior clerks, as a rule, were paid
at a higher rate than laborers in 1914
and 1915. but with laborers' rates at 50
day now. and vacancies remaining un-
filed. am informed that laborers' pay
averages more than clerks pay La
borers in 1914 were begging for work az
/ Sl.75 and 50 day; now employers are
almost begging laborers to work for
them at from $3.50 to SO a day.
"As for clerks. they do not share
in the general increase of salaries and
wages 20 meet higher prices, because
there are, even now, more clerks than
there are men and women needed for
that work. OF course, the entrance or
young men in the army and navy has
had and will have a great effect on enl-
ployment conditions, but 1t seems that
the ranks Of the clerks may ye5 be
much reduced without creating de-
mand for clerks greater than the fieid
can satisfy. Clerks are victims OF their
cwn numerical strength, and that con-
dition is. as said. unfortunate for
them. but it does seem that their sal
aries must be increased before long.
In fact, some firms have already done
this. The city. recognizing their
. pllgnf, IS llhtWlSe BLdHbiN' 4'.~- -
not only TO clerks. but also 20 police .
men. firemen, laborers and others. II
| is no more than common justice
/ On the social side Of the inyestiga-
/ ton II was shown by averaged statis-
tics of several leading private chari
table organizations in New York CIty
/ that rot half as many new families re-
/ oues.ed aid each month as was the case
+ in 1914
The average statistics of three lead
! ing societies administering cnaritV NJ
vately-that is, supplying money TO the
needy in their homes-show that ABOUT
twice as many new cases came 'h per
month three years ago as IS the case
Deputy Charities Commissioner Henry
/ { Wright declared that the almshouse
nopulation is much smaller now than
I in previous years. and that at the Nh
/ nicipal Lodging House, where the popu-
/ Iation used 70 be about 700 nlght
/ three wears ago. II is now about 300.
Harry L. Hopkins, executive secre-
tarv Of the city's Board Of Child Wei
fare, said;
Clerks Hard Up
"Clerks. as a rule, aren't getting any
! more now than they got then, and are
/ having n hard time TO live. Those get
ting 81. POO or $1,000 year, ana VINO
have a family. could get along all
rirht then. but its impossible now. ana
rbcy are either drawing on their say
| inqs or are borrowing money 20 gst