The Washington herald., 1918-07-10
LABOR DEPT.
SHOWS UP
HIGH PRICES
Living Cost in Washington
More Than Any Other
American City.

Average of prices Of stable foods
in Washington is higher. than any
other city in the United States, ac-
cording to the June Bulletin of
Prices and Cost. of Living of the
Department of Labor.
The prices which are averaged
in two sections. take up the large
cities together ana then the small
cities. Several other interesting
facts are deduced from the statis-
tics. For instance. prices in the
Western cities and in the smaller
cities are much lower than in the
Atlantic seaboard cities. and in
washington. The prices are aver
aged on the month from March Is
to April Is.
Higher Prices Cited.
Some of the individual instances
where washington prices onttop
any in the United States follow:
Sirloin steak was priced at I1c.
4 mill in Washington, sic. z mills
in New Orleans and 2sc. 1 mill in
Portland, Greg.
! Pork chops are 4oc, S mills here,
33c in Chicago and 31c, mills in
Minneapolis.
Sliced ham Is 4sc. mills a pound
| here, 32c. mills in New York, and
1 34c. 8 mills in Newark
Eggs at 44c, mills last April
competed with SIC, mills in Mil
waukee, and 26c in Dallas. Tex.
Butter at SAC a pound here was
45c in San Francisco. and 44c,
mills in Denver.
Milk was 14c a quart here and
10c- in Milwaukee.
Potatoes were cents 5 mills a
pound here, while they were Is cents
In Seattle, Milwaukee and Denver
and a cent and a half at Portland
i and St Paul.
Onions here were 3 cents. 9 mills
a pound, while they were cents.
mills at ST. Paul
\ Even the humble navy bean is Is
cents a pound here, to 16 cents a
pound in Cincinnati.
To Probe Lunchrooms.
Protests by the people of Washing
| ton against the high prices charged
in the local lunchrooms and restau-
rants will result in drastic reguia-
ton of food prices in public eating
| pldces Dy lhe Disu1Cl looo duhlliAls-
| tration.
| District Food Administrator Wilson
yesterday announced that as a result
of conference held Monday night
by the lunchroom committee OF the
administration a fair price list such
as is prepared for grocers will be
put into effect in lunchrooms and
| restaurants Of the city.
/ l. ho -
| ed in many of these places are
! higher than in the big hotels in
other localities in the country. Rank
profiteering at the expense of the
public is the rule in the majority
of these places, it is stated, and
the expense falls on that part of
the public that can least AFFORD to
pay these prices, namely the en-
ployes of the government and busi-
ness houses of the city.
EmpIoyes Hard HIT.
Many of the government workers,
/ brought to the city on work for
the government that must be done
and can only be done by them, have
| been forced to return to their
homes, unable to live on their sal
ary in Washington. This will
| eventually result in a serious i'm
pediment to the war program. These
people are willing and glad to stay
but conditions must be altered to
the extent that they can exist while
1 in the city.
The District Food Administre tion
has decided that action must be
taken at once. and an Investigation
will be begun at once into the ex-
listing conditions in these public
eating places. 1t was the opinion
of the committee. Monday night that
the so-called staple" lunchroon
articles should be delt with first
coffee. pie, milk. sandwiches. etc.
L @Unwarr=nteds Prices.
i Mr.. Wilson stated that he is con.
.yinced that the increased prices
fcharged are as a rule unwarrante<
and that the remedy should be ap.
piled as quickly as possible.
4 Complaints received at the ONO
| resulted in the arraignment OF tn,
proprietors of two of the lunch
rooms in the city before the loca
administration, on a charge Of profi
teering. The defense in each cas-
was unsatisfactory and the decision
in the case Is held pending furthe
action.
The price list suggested will b
based upon the prices charged 10
the food stun, allowing the res
turant or lunchroom keeper a fai
profit. This is the plan followed 4
preparing the price list for tn
II xroeers in the citk The list Is sup
possd to control be prices charge
! rourr,xurn &, r.cr rurxr