New Britain herald., 1917-12-21
cost OF Living IN
THE nutmeg STATE
Cong. Lonergan Gives Figures
" Showing High Prices Here
Especial to the Herald)

f., Especial to the Herald)
Washington, d. c., Dec. 21.-Inter-
-esting sidelights on the increase in the
cost of living in Hartford and other
cities in Connecticut are revealed in
speech by Congressman Augustine
Lohergan, who argued for higher
salaries for post Office clerks Of the
first and second classes According to
Mr. LonNGSan the cost of living has
inreased frdAA. so to Is per cent, and
he believes the clerks should receive
salaries commensurate with what they
are forced to pay for the necessities
OF life.
- The speech follows:
"Mr. Speaker, the bill under consid-
GRAFTON merits the attention and
should command the~support Of every
right thinking man in congress- The
clerks, and carriers in first and second
class post offices ask for an increase
in pay. And public opinion is behind
them. It is provided that they be
divided into six classes and that the
classes be reimbursed as follows:
First grade, $1,000: second grade,
,$1,100: third grade, $1,000; fourth
9radc, $1,000; fifth grade, $1,4OO;
sixth grade, $500. Inclusion in the
various grades is to depend upon
4 terms of service.
1.-THE proposition is a fair one. Serv-.
ice at all times should be rewarded.
lPrivate corporations throughout the
country are taking every advantage of
the present shortage in labor to offer
increases to their employees, to grant
bonuses to them, to interest them in
many kinds Of social endeavor, so that
they will be contented with their work
and satisfied with. their opportunities.
This Is true alike of manufacturing
establishments in Hartford county,
(which I have the honor to repre-
sent in the state Of Connecticut, and
throughout the Industrial centers of
the country; 1t is true of large meF-
camille establishments: it is true Of
smaller concerns Obviously, then, it,
must Of necessity be to the best inter-.
ests OF the United States for the gov
eminent to change the schedule Of sal
aries of its employees in the postal.
service so that their remuneration
will at least be in keeping with the.
wages paid to the men even less
skilled than they in other walks of
life. The things for which the en-
Hlcyee ask comprise modest request,
Indeed. The government should be:
the model employer.
Their arguments are facts that are
1t the disposal Of oxncyone. If. itewara
for service alone they ask to be better
treated. their desires should be grant,
ed without question, for there is no
harder working department in the
government today than the Postal de-
partment. But with the small recon-
pense they now receive for their la
bors is the very vital problem
brought home to every man today, the
problem of meeting the increased cost
Of living. A few years ago a man
e with 9. salary of $1,000 a year was
considered to be well paid. Then the
dollar had high purchasing value. To-
day it's purchasing power is not so
marked.
Investigation OF the change in the
market prices of food in Hartford,
Conn, my home town, and the other
cities of the state reveals figures that
are surprising. Practically every sub
stantial eatable has been advanced
from IS to so per cent, while some of
the necessary articles that go toward
a meal have been advanced almost rs
per cent.
-4, "The increase has been the greatest
in meats. Short steaks thatrtoday cost
60 to 70 cents a pound could be
+ bought in 1907 for only S2eto~4O cents
a pound, while roast veal that today
sells for 80 to As cents a pound could
be obtained at IA to Is cents q pound
10 years ago Corned beef has shown
an increase of from 6 to 20 cents a.
pound in 1907 to 20 and 35 cents a.
pound today, but cabbage, which US
ually accompanies. corned beef on to
the table, has assembled only cents
Lamb chops could be bought for from
10 to 80 cents pound then, but today
the housewife must pay from SO to IS
cents a pound Other meats have
gone up In proportion
"A meatless dinner Wouh not save
the housewife much, as there has
been a very noticeable increase in the
price of vegetables. Potatoes, the
standard food in thousands>of Connec-
ticut homes, have almost doubled in
price. It was possible to buy a peck
of potatoes for 80 cents in 1910, but
SO cents is the price asked now, with
every indication that it will be higher
In the near future. Sweet potatoes
2 have gone up in the same prop ortion,
=: :; 800; 800 50: