Evening star., 1917-10-01
END YEAR IN DEBT,
INQUIRY BRINGS OUT
One Third of Families lnvestl-
GATED Here Show Deficit
at Close of 1916.
INCOMES FOUND SMALL

"A shocking state Of economic IN
decency" is the way the Labor Depart
ment, through its bureau Of labor stafls-
tics, brands present-day living condl-
tions in the District of Columbia, after
developing in an investigation on the
cost of living in Washington that nearly
one-third of the families, both white and
colored, finished the year 1916 with def
icits in the family budgets.
The first installment Of the report, later
to be made to Congress. will appear soon
in the monthly review Of the bureau OF
labor statistics, and constitutes the be-
ginning of an unique method Of present.
ing a report to the public. 1t is believed
that the publication of a government re-
port a. a serial" is unprecedented. The
installment published today in the bu-
reau's monthly magazine" gives a sum-
mary view Of family incomes In the Dis
trict as developed In the inquiry con-
Quoted last spring. Schedules were ob-
tanned from 1.4s1 white families and from
629 colored families, making total OF
2.11o families.
'The number of families scheduled was
large enough to permit of trustworthy
averages and deductions" says the re-
port. only in the lowest and highest IN
come groups are the numbers SO small
a. to make generalizations doubtful"
Yearly Incomes Small.
1T Is startling to learn" says the re-
port, that in the capital of the nation.
in 4 year of unprecedented high prices.
S07, or 3s per cent. OF 2,110 families
taken at random had yearly incomes of
less than $500, and 1926 families. or
81 per cent, had incomes of less than
$1,000 a year. AS noted above, some of
these families were of small size, but
the averages were not abnormally low.
Thus, for families receiving less than
$500 per year the family household av-
eraged "A members and the net family
averaged 3.4 members; for families re-
eeiving less than $1,000 the correspond
ing averages were as and 3.5.
The summary showing that nearly
one-third of the families Investigated
finished 1916 with deficits reveals
shocking state of economic indecency."
according to the report Just how
much is needed for the support of a
normal family IN moderate comfort Is
difficult to estimate. Previous studies
indicate that. In large city. the barest
minimum upon which existence for q
normal family can be maintained upon
less than 5000 or $1,000 Such a sum.
moreover, is estimated to permit of
nothing more than the mere creature
necessities. To maintain really family
life upon the much eulogized Ameri-
can standard of living would GER
tainly demand a considerably larger
sum.
THE negroes Jared worse than the
whites" continues the report. Out of
629- negro families $50, or nearly 20 per
cent, were obliged to try to keep body
and soul together on less than $500
year. and Az. or no les than three
quarters Of the total. lived on less than
5000. Among the white families condi-
tions were better. but not vastly so. Out
of 1,4S1 such families there were IS
who had less than $500 to keep them
through the year, while no less than
?s6, or nearly % pc: cent. existed on
half. had less than $1,000 a year.
Families Without Male Head.
Nor in all cases did the family in
comes referred to represent merely the
Earnings of the male head of house
hold in which the wife was at home
and the children in school In 2ss fami-
lies d45 white and 123 negro) there
was no male head. In 5s7 families (16s
white and 4s1 negro) the wife was at
work. In 297 families GOA white and 80
negro) one or more children were at
work. In 1.112 families (75s white and
356 nesro1 boarders and dodgers, or both.
lived with the family and receipts from
this source helped to pay the family
that in 211 cases ts3 white and l2s
negro) the family was aided by gifts of
secondhand clothing. This is a form
Of charity which is usually accepted only
under the pressure of severe need.
v1fp off
large proportion of families is also clearly
indicated by the fact that almost one third
of the families. both white and negro, fin
ished the year with deficits Whether these
ordin3ry price advances of 1916 or
whether they represent the chronic
condition of SO many families cannot
be determined from the facts gathered
particular year only $40 out of the
total of 2.110 families. 24.6 per cent.
were able to show a surplus; the best
that 9S4, or 4s per cent. could do was to
wound up the year with deficits
The deficits stand out with particular
prominence in the low income groups
Most of these families lived literally
could hope for was to come out even.
Out of the total of s07 families having
incomes under $500, only 81 (49 white
and 80 negro) showed balance of in
the year. OF the remaining 726 families
receiving less than 5000. 457 G7O white
and 2s7 negro) at best did nc. better
than to keep expenditures within in
come, and 269 GIG white and 1873 ne
gro) could not even do this, finishing
the year with deficits, which, in many
cases, meant debt"
Earnings Under 81 800 Yearly.
Only those families were scheduled
whose principal breadwinner worked
for wages or a salary and earned not
more than $500 a year, unless en-
gagged in some mechanical trade like
that Of railroad engineer. Families with
incomes from sources other than the
earnings Of the head of the house were
included. however. even though the
total income exceeded $1,000. No fami-
lies were taken which had not resid ed
in the District of Columbia for ali OF
1915. and families with vacations COW
ering . period of more than two months
or eight weeks were omitted.
Tho term family" as used in the In
vo0tigation and report, means anv
group Of persons living together in ons
establishment as q home It fncIudas
Aoussholds in which there were board.
efs or dodgers. or both (working chill
drsa contributing only part of thei,
wages being classed as such). IL such
persons were living in close assoctat;on
With the family proper. but boardine