The Washington times., 1917-12-16
THE STORY Of
A WEEK
THE HOME OF
AU. S. CLERK

How much do you spend per day per
person in your family for the actual
necessities OF life?
There Is q Government clerk In Wash
ington who has only 50 cents per day per
member for the maintenance OF his fam
lily. He has never gone in debt.
The employe in question has a wife and
ten Children little above the average
is, but this is Offset by the fact that
three sons contribute their earnings
81 the week-to the fathers salary OF
so the week that the Government pays
him. The total income allows Of an ex-
penditure o. a little less than 80
cents per day for each member OF the
family.
The average annual wage paid to a
Government clerk In Washington. Is SslS,
which Is less than that OF the enploye
in question.
InvestiEnfed by TIE Times.
The Washington Times has made a
thorough investigation to determine just
how they make ends meet Going 10
the home Of the S20-dollar-s-week Gov
ernment clark. q Times reported lived
one week. The reporter came away with
which Is illuminating.
From the very first Of the investiga-
ton, the reporter was struck with the
important part the wife Of the average
Government clerk plays in directing the
destines Of these miniature war ma
chlnes.T these Government employees
homes
During the past week the family
disry-the wife said she always kept
it-showed total expenditures of ss1.2s
against an income OF S27, which
means q dedcit Of &L2S. The in
creased outgo was due to the fact
that during the previous week the
family had denied itself a number Of
articles, leaving a small balance
The detailed statement below does
not include clothing for the father,
mother, and ten children The cold
weather Of the past few weeks has
made almost necessary runners. heavy
ahoea and warm clothing. No school
books or supplies, no theater tickets
nor expenditures for little pleasures
OF any kind are mentioned
Would Mean q Cut.
Asked how the problem OF clothing
the children, buying their school
books and new furniture and kitchen
accessories would be solved. the moth
meant she would have to cut down
the already limited food supply.
The reporter walked into the
kitchen. the only warm room in the
house, where the children were study
ing their lessons for the morrow.
When an effort was made to get a
statement from the children as TO
their poor food and raiment, one Of
them spoke up:
Well. # is awful bad, and not what
some children have; but, oh, it's 80
much better than all those little war
children have to suffer" This senti-
rnent seemed TO be that OF the remain
ing members of the group
Here Is the program for seven dayS
= as The Times reporter found IL:
Five O'Clock. The mother and older
children got ready for the early SER
vices of the church. The father re
rnained in bed. In dressing they had
10 hot water with which to bathe a.
they could not AFFORD to keep the
furnace up all night They had nc
tooth paste. A half cake OF soap and
two rather aoiled towels were hang
ing on the rack. They have -four
towels in the family stock, to be used
by ten people:
s:5n-They went TO church.
s-BrsakfaSt- Zach child had one
saucs dIsh of cornhakes, one cup OF
coffee, and not more than three slices
OF bread. The father. being the sup
mort Of the family, was given a bowl
of coffee, and e. much corn Makes and
bread a. he wanted. Likewise the
mother and two elder brothers.
9 till 12-The mother and father
read the Sunday papers while tbs
children made the beds and udied
the rooms in general. and washed the
IL ANnh n
father has had 20 work on Sunday
owing TO the pressure brought or
D By war work.
Had Needle Soup
I2-DInner was prepared by th'
mother. Last Sunday noodle soup Hnc
bread and butter made the meal. Th'
children were given one or two soul
plates full, half the size of the ordi
nary SOUP plate, and three slices o
bread and butter.
The mother. father. and two bis
brothers took one or two bowls o.
soup md as much bread ana butter a
they wanted.
! till S-ThS Vsrsnts read the Sun
day papeF and some magazines, Tn,
children played about tbs house. a
81 was too cold 90 be outdoors clothed
in coats such 81 they wsaF, They eaci
have shabby oysrcoats bought lss'
year. They are made Of thin material
Thsz haTs no mittsns. and wore shoe
bought Whsa school opened, This psi
is the oniY ons each. possesses. an
they are szIpSsted % last tha wiAtRs
ACCORDING 20 their mother,
6-evSsST was prepared ~ uai
mother, r1ss had bSSa FsadfnF Ssa'
mapping The whole sftsFHOOH, COffes
bread, sn1 butter made the mssl
Each cbiId was allowed three slice
Of brssl and kutteF-Dothing more
Ths nothsF and father. and big broth