Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-23
|D|FFER WIDELY ON
LIVING COST RISE
Food Administration EST.
mates 3 IL Per Cent for
Year, Labor Dept. Says. IS.
BIG DEMAND FOR LvxuRIEs

estimates OF the increased COST OF
living in this country during the past
year, published today simultaneously
by the food administration and the
Department of Labor. show q vide
difference Of opinion.
The food administration in its an
cost has risen 81 per cent during the
twelve-month period. Tho Depart
ment of Labor furnishes figures to
show the increase has been Is per
cent.
Take Different Angles.
Despite the discrepancy. both gov
eminent agencies agree that there has
been an increase. Both contend that
because of increased wages workers
are seeking more luxuries and are
jewelry.
However. the food administration
contends that the. greater portion Of
the increase is not due to the in
creased food prices. but to increases
in rent. clothing. transportation and
other reasons.
The Department of Labor bases its
cities.
The actual wholesale cost Of all
ond quarter Of 101s-April. May and
June-was $3.50, the food admins
tration statement said. This was an
increase Of 3.5 per cent over the per
capita cost during the Same period
the year before. No dinerential be-
was given, the statement dealing en-
tirely with wholesale costs.
A statement by the Department Of
Labor, however. said that investiga-
tons made over the country by Its
division Of statistics showed that re-
average of 2 per cent from July to
August and that during the year end
ing last August retail prices adj
vanced Is per cent:
More Money Is Spent.
The food administration placed the
total wholesale cost of all foodstuffs
consumed in the United States during
the second quarter of the year at
$2.693, Isl, 871, compared with $685.:
600,9O4 in the same period of 1917.
while this is the whole nations ex-
penditure at the wholesale prices and
trend" the statement said. cit does
not follow that there are no local
variations. In those sections where
there has been great local increases
in population there has been dis
turbance Of distribution and prices
have increased to a larger per cent.
On the other hand, there are COZ
responding sections Of the community
where actual decreases or no in
creases have taken place.
'The cost Of rent, transportation,
clothing and other items of living
have advanced several times as much
as the aggregate increase in cost Of
foodstuffs. There has been more than
2.36 per cent increase in prices paid
of speculation and profteering and
narrowed margins between farmers
and wholesale prices under food reg
ulation."
Gives Comparison of Prices.
In it's comparative lists Of costs
the food administration placed the
per capita cost of breadstuffs during
the second quarter Of 1913 at 1892.
or 9.3 per cent greater than during
the same period in 1917. Meats, the
largest item, cost per capita 1891, or
20.8 per cent greater than in 1917.
Dairy products, which cost per capita
$3.50. were 6.3 per cent greater, and
poultry and eggs. at $40 per capita,
cost 1865 per cent more.
that vegetables per capita cost only
SLIT during the quarter. decrease
Of 63.1 per cent, and sugar, at $1.79,
decreased IA per cent A third de-
crease was shown by the smallest
item in the bill of fare. fish, which
at 3 cents per capita, was 60 per cent
below the 1917 level.