The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-16
Mrs. Strauss And 1T. C. L.

iNlINWO notable representatives of the United States government will
 speak to the people of Birming-
 ham today at the Southern Club on
 that most vital and important subject,
 The High Cost of Living"
 One of the speakers will be Assist
 ant Attorney General Howard E. Figg
 and the other Mrs. Edith c. Strauss. d.
 rector of women's activities Ii. c. L., and each has message that will help
 1t Is saids to solve the exact'ng problem
 now confronting the people of Amer ica.
 Through the good offices of Mrs. J. E Frazier chairman of the third dis trAct of women's activities and her CO.,
 workers, consisting of Mrs w. E. B.
 Davis, chairman of the luacheon com mittee, and Mrs Oscar F. Hundley.
 Mrs. Frank Nelson, Jr, Mrs Sam Ad- Ter, Mrs. W. D. Smith, Mrs James Bowron, Mir. John Builder, Mrs Will
 liam A. Hood, Jr., Mrs. Henrs T. Dean, 1 Mrs. ". w. Bussey and Mrs. w. D. l lynes, the women of this community will be given the chance at the 1unch-
 con today to hear something that is 1 practical and enlightening from ex- l perienced workers and Mrs. Frazier and her assistants extend j cordial in- |
 in ameliorating conditions and making
 restitution of fair prices or the 1 commodities of life, to be presen. and
 hear something to their advantage. Mrs Frazier. who is always generous :, with her talent and time fo things ! worth while" and worthy. declares
 that to her way of thinking nothing Is
 or more importance Tn the worlds cur
 riculum today than the staggering con- dItions which confront people in the
 matter of the high cost of living | Nobody is more bothered and har-
 rassed over the H. c. L. than our own | merchants right here among us," said
 Mrs. Frazier yesterday. Tho constant demand made upon them for reductions
 and the everlasting grumbling about | nigh prices, they as much as we would
 undoubtedly like to have prices reduced ana get business affairs on saner and | firmer basis.
 1 The housewives of Birmingham cer-
 talnly know that 1t is almost impossible I to keep house now" Mrs. Frazier con
 tinued. "Edibles which used to be within our reach are now prohibitive
 In price; every staple and fancy grocery we use has doubled, treDled. quadru- pied itself in price, until che homel:est
 and most ordinary vegetables, meats 1 and condiments now cost a small sized l fortune.
 ] Clothes: shoes, which are perfectly outrageous in price; gloves, veils the simplest things, the absolute necessi-
 ties. not to speak of the luxuries." Mrs. Frazier said. "are so high-priced that
 only the multi-millionaaire can afford l .hen.
 l II ;sard a woman say the other day
 that plain black pumps with low heeis | that she had been wearing for the past 1 10 years. and which five years ago cost S650 pair last year $12.50 pair
 were priced this year at $21," said Mrs Frazier, plus war tax. Could anything l be more exorbitant?'
 | There's way to reduce all this" 1 well known banker declared the other day" Mrs. Frazier continued, "and that 1 Is conservation Merely stop buying l except as far as necessity demands Wear out all our old clothes have the 1 simplest menus served and then we'll bring down the H. c. l..
 l There are other ways too" Mrs | Frazier said. "and Mrs. Strauss, who | comes to us as our guest today from
 the government is going to tell us how 1 the Fl. C.. l.. can be scientifically and | practically reduced. Every woman in | Birmingham who possibly can should 5s present to hear Mrs. Strauss today ar the luncheon at the Southern Club | because she brings message that is l t-'C Nciy AOunudtlOii Ol pTdCllCdt com I mon sense; she brings message which 1 has been tried out and found efficient; l she brings message which will help | to place us once more on normal foundation, the good old days when l dollar meant something.
 | Mrs Strauss is in every way fitted l to express an opinion on the subject of living conditions of the hour Mrs Frazier said. "as she Is woman of
 much experience and great ability. and l her acceptance of the invitation from l Birmingham to come to us with her practical theories she declares came l about by our ardent attitude toward l the situation, and she was convinced l that we were very much interested in | the reduction of the present state of 1 exorbtant prices.
 1 Mrs Strauss assumed her duties as ! director of womens activities H. C. L.
 last October said Mrs. Frazier, "and l the purpose of the committee is to or ganize the entire womanhood of Amer lea Into working unit to combat the present distressing conditions l Mrs. Strauss is New York woman born and bred in that state, educated | in Boston and Europe. although her permanent home has always been and ] still Is New York" Mrs Frazier con- tinued. Miss Strauss entered the motor corps of America in 1917. soon after war was declared. and served for 1 about year during which time sh'