The Washington times., 1917-01-15
Uncle Sam Begins Probe of
High Cost of Living by Ascer-
tanning Salaries.
FORCE OF IL is AT WORK
Blanks Left at Homes to Be
Filled Out and Called for
at Later Date. -

Armed with the most intimate kinds
OF questions as to how much
Mr.. and Mrs. and Miss Washington,
D. c., spend their salaries, Uncle
Sans high-cost-of-living probers to-
day started the first Congressional in
vestigation into this all-important
subject:
What Is your salary?
How much rent do you pay?
What did you pay for that suit?
What did your wife's last hats,
gowns and coats cost?
What do you pay for coal?
How much do you pay your maid
servant?
What is your monthly grocery bill?
How much money DO you have left
over-if any-each month, after all
your bills are paid-if you pay them?
Those are some OF the questions be-
ing asked of Washingtonians by
agents of the Labor Statistics Bureau
of the Department OF Labor. The
agents are working under an appro-
priation recently granted by Congress-.
On the result of the probe here will
rest whether Congress will carry the
queries into other sections OF the
country
Begin Preliminary Canvass.
Dr., Royal Meeker, head Of the
bureau, who Is superintending the in
vestigation, stated that several OF the
agents started the preliminary work
of the canvass this morning, but the
full force of twelve men and women
would not take the field until later in
the week.
The several agents who went to
work today visited specified sections
Of Washington, leaving a schedule of
questions to be filled out by the house
wives Of the District. Later this week
other agents will call at these houses
and collect the schedules which are
expected to be filled out with the de-
sired information as to the amount
of money expended annually for rent,
clothing, food, light, and the other
necessities of life, and the quantity
Of each commodity received for the
money.
While the system Of leaving sched-
ules at houses one day and collect
ing them on another will be followed
in some cases, in a majority Of in
stances the agents will be required to
PROFOUND the questions verbally and
get the answers at once.
Clerical Work First.
For the first few days, however,
DR.. Meeker said, a majority OF the
ogents win be needed in his office to
complete the great volume of indoor
preliminary clerical work incident to
the investigation. When this is crnn-
pieted all tie esents viii take the
field, all of them being assigned to
certain areas ci specified classes Of
wage earnsrs. This District has been
FIotted fntp sections SO that repre-
sentative figures for each division of
the District may be obtained.
'The primary purpose of this In
quiry is to ascertain the income and
expenses Of typical workers." said
DR.. Meeker. 'HThis study cannot go
into the causes Of the increases in
prices. These causes are difficult to
ascertain and for the most part lie
outside of the District"
DR.. Meeker said everyone con-
nected with the inquiry realized the
intimate and personal nature of the
questions to be propounded, and for
that reason absolute secrecy would
be maintained as to the information
given the agents. Because of the in
timateness OF the QUESTIONABLE, DR..
Meeker has decided to devote several
days to preparing the men and women
wage earners OF the District for a
cordial rather than an Indifferent or
hostile reception. to the agents.
Information CONFIDENTIAL
There is nothing to fear" said
DR.. Meeker. "The information will
be entirely confidential, and no man
or woman will know what another
has told US. We hope to get suffi-
cient information from all parts of
the city, and various classes of work
ers, to make a complete report to
Congress on the average salaries re-
ceived by workers in various classes,
the number Of hours worked and the
expenses of the families"
Besides studying families, the bu-
reau will also investigate what are
the incomes and expenses of single
women who board or who room and
prepare their own meals or eat in
restaurants