The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-09-14
Il. C.L. INCREASES IN
6 YEARS, 104 Per
CENT, FIGURES SHOW

NEW YORK, Sept. 14.-An increase
of 1o4.5 per cent in the cost of living
Of American wage earners between
July, 1914, and July, 1920, is shown in
a statement issued today by the nat
ional industrial conference board.
This figufe is based on the boards
most recent investigation OF changes
in the cost of living, a complete report
of which will be made shortly. This
inccease marks a rise tof nearly ~ per
cent within the last year and of five
per cent since March,. 1920, the date
problem.
Increases between July, 1914, and
July, 1920, in the cost of each OF the
five major items making UP the fam
lily budget, were as follows:
All items ...............lo Iva per cent
Food .119 per cent
Shelter ................. So per cen.
Clothing ..166 per cent
Fuel. heat and light. 66 per cent
Sundries .......... 65 per cent
As in earlier reports Of changes in
the cost of living made by the board,
the information on which the board
estimates were based was obtained
from q large number of retail dealers
in clothing and fuel from brokers AMI
others in close touch with the real
estate situation. The retail food price
index numbers Of the United States
bureau Of labor statistics were used
in estimating changes in the cost of
that item.
Attention is called to the fact that
in estimating changes in the cost CT
living. retail quotations properly
weighted according to consumption.
and not Wholesale prices, should be
used, since the latter, though they
satisfactorily reflect market condit'
ions. offer little direct evidence re
garding changes in cost to the ulti-
mate consumer. General commodity
price index numbers may give an
exceedingly misleading idea regarding
changes in the cost of living.
Food Prices Advance.
Retail food prices in June and July
1920, showed an identical increase
above the prewar level and represent
an average increase OF 119 per cent
above prices in the year 1913. Be
tween July, 1919, and July, 1920. food
prices increased Is per cent, tho mar
ket rise within this period beginning
in April, 1920, and continuing to June
and July, in which months the retail
prices Of food were higher than ever
before recorded by the bureau of Ia
Dor statistics.
The largest increases reported for
food items between July, 1913, and
July, 1920, were as follows: Sugar.
3s3 per cent; potatoes, 1858 per cent;
flour, 1874 per cent; corn meal, 1873
per cent; rice, ia per cent; bread
113 per cent; ham, 112 per cent;
lamb, 100 per cent; hens, 107 per cent;
pork chops, 101 per cent.
In July, 1920, sugar cost more than
four and three-quarters times as much
as in July, 1913; potatoes more than
four and one-half times as much;
flour, more than two and one-half
times as much, and corn meal. approx
imately two and one-third times as
much. The average cost of few al
ticles decreased within the year end
ing July Is, 1920, but these items were
not important in the total food budget.
In 35 of the 80 cities from which
retail prices of food have been collect
ed monthly since 1913, the average re-
tail cost increased 100 per cent or
more. The largest increase reported
was from Detroit, Mich, 1873 per cent.
and the smallest was from Los An
geles. Calf, 95 per cent.