The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-08-19
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To The News Scimitar:
In The News Sctmitar OF Aug. II
n significant writsup on Wprklhs
girls starving themselves for clothes'
paint hides malnutrition,
l do not live in Memphis and do not
know a single working girl in the city OF
Memphis, but / do know by sad eX-
perience something OF the holo-up
game" by these men.
Why not have the facts. wages nave
gone up some, 1t must be admitted
but they have not kept pace with the
high prices, Three years ago the work
ing girl could get good substantial
meal for rs or 80 cents. TODAY one
gets the same meals for IS cents or
one dollar, Does the price OF products
justify this increase? Let us see
three years ago good grade OF coiiee
was IS to 35 cents per pound. IL now
costs IS to 45 cents per pound, yet the
price to the working glrl for a cup OF
coffee is double that three years ago,
and the cup has been reduced in size
In most instances Eggs were then
from 40 to so cents per dozen, they
are the same price yet. But the price
to the working girl is twice as much
for two over" 49,
Meat is but a little higher now than
II was then. Help and Laundry mas
made some little advance, but in no
sense commensurate with the raise In
price of eats to the working glrL
ate breakfast this morning in your
city, and | want you to Know what !
had for breakfast, and ate 1t just up
Main" from the Grand Central station
| I had a cup OF coffee that costs, with
| the sugar and cream, two cents, ye'
| paid for IL 10 cents. ] had two eggs
| Lcold storage) and three pieces of ba'
| con about one and one-half inches long
so thin they looked as If they had beer
| photographed on the breakfast plate
| this cost the Greek proprietor elgh'
cents for the eggs and I'VE cents Ioi
| the bacon, three very thin slices Of
| stale bread, that cost probably two
| cents. then a piece Of butter, that II yot
| had dropped IL in your eye, II woulo
have as much room as tadpole Woulu
have in the Atlantic ocean-the price
/ too little to name-but we VIII alloN
| him a penny for 1t, since 1t was JUS
about that size.
| Now. what nave We, coffee, two cents
eggs eight cents, bacon five cents
bread two cents and butter one cent
total Is cents, yet | paid 81 cents an!
| this was the cheapest item on his bill
OF fare.
one restaurant in Louisville, Ky.
| with five or six tables reported ne
Gain last year for their business Of $ll,
900, vet the prices there are less thai
| that asked Of the working girls o
Memphis. The reporter charges tina
the girls paint and powder, yes, tina
is true But | have never heard OF
working girl in Memphis buying hal
restorer from a bald headed barber. an
that is more than you can say abou
we men,
fair you will give this article in defens
Of the Memphis working girl as promi
nent a place as you gave the other ar
ticle.
Don't jump on working girls, but tr
US men
God bless thu working g!rl-my hat
off to her. u. " FoOhS'
| Paducah, Ky.
ARTICLES such as the one mentione
and letters like the above are calculate
10 help working girls in their strugg
for existence Why complain about a
article relating unfortunate condition
when the public Is Indifferent? W
are for anything that will improve II
,ttuation --Editorl