The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-12-27
LIVING COSTS
INCREASING
Is 1854 Per Cent Higher
Than Four Years
Ago
ICOMMON LABORERS
HARDEST HIT
Although He Has Had Greatest Increase
In Wages His Standard of Living
Has Dropped-Eggs Up 100 Per Cent
and Other Foods Higher.

and Other Foods Higher.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Dec. 81
The cost of living in this locality has
increased approximately 1854 per cent
during the war period. This high per-
centage, based on local price records
during the past four years, shows an
increase of 90 per cent during the past
year and an increase Of 24.2 per cent
during the past two years. The latter
percentage represents the approximate
increase in the cost of living for the
period this country was at war.
While staple food products held a
fairly even average during the year,
due no doubt TO government regula-
ton, prices Of other necessaries adj
vanced considerably over the average
level of prices for 1917. These advances
were particularly noticeable in articles
of wearing apparel. In comparison with
these figures, it is interesting to note
that wages were not advanced in pro
portion with the general increase in
the cost of Living, although decided
gains were reported.
II is quite evident from the reports
that the lowest paid workers suffered
decidedly more than the better paid
ones, despite the fact that the wage
increases for the common laborinq
TYPE exceeded those of the better paid
| workers. Common labor in Springfield
| received wage increases during the
| fouryea period approximating 81 pei
cent. This increase, when compared
with the increased cost of necesSaric,
and other items entering into the ex
pense of maintaining home, show:
| that their standard of living for The
four-year period has been lowered.
A study of the prices OF staple fooC
products for the whole fouryear pc
| Rod makes il quite clear that tht
burden of increase has been on The
staple products. This is evidenced by
the lig increase in the prices of til,
| cheaper cuts of meat, and other fooc
products. Corned beef, for instance
shows an approximate increase of ~
per cent, eggs an increase of 100 pc,
A
ham an increase of 100 per cent, lart
an increase of lis per cent, sugar al
increase of 100 per cent, potatoes Al
increase of SO per cent, -four an In
crease OF los per cent, over prevail
tprices.
The general increase in the price %
flour is reflected III all wheat products
| which enter into the diet of the aver
age working man. The same may b,
| said to be true OF other articles of diet
Take the cost Of stocky soups as Al
illustration. A comparison OF the cos
of soup stock, such as boiling meat an,
| vegetables. shows that il costs TIL
average working man S family abou
1T per cent more today to prepare
soup than il did before the world war
/ In the matter of clothing, the loves
paid workers also suffered more thar
the better paid classes. Mems suit
that cost $3.50 and SIS before til
| war have almost doubled in price, an,
il is doubtful whether the wcarin,
quality is as good as it was before III
{ war. Shoes, stockings and underwea
have almost doubled in price. Work
ing men s shoes that cost 50 and $2.2
before the war arc now selling 70
$3.50, 81 and $3.50 a pair. Socks tina
could be bought for l2la cents are sell
ing for % and 80 cents today. Will
underwear that could be bought at
Hat rate of 81 suit now command
from IS to l25 per cent more in prict
| While he prices of food used in tn
average workingman'S family has il
creased anywhere from 50 to 200 pc
cent, il is interesting to note that til
lpriees for the better grades of foo
products have been depressed. TIL
condition has resulted from the fac
that persons who formerly bought til
better cuts OF beef, the better grad
of eggs and the best quality butte
learned the uses of the cheaper var
cites of these products. The result va
inevitable. The demand for the thing
which formed the staple products i
the diet of the workingman becan
greater, the supply was naturally lin
. tied to an even flow of production. an
lprices were boosted accordingly Sue
a condition prevented the establishin
of surplus of any one variety
The general tendency to economi.
during the war period was actual
forced by price conditions. There was
general lowering of the standard {
living both by necessity and choice.