The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-09
Many Necessaries Of Life
Affected in Recent Gen
eral Decline.
NOW 81 P. G. OVER 1914
Increase in Price of Butter
and Eggs Offsets Cut
in Other Lines.
CLOTHING OUTLOOK GOOD
,Bradstreet's Report Shows
Sharp Drop in Breadstuffs
and Textiles.
CLOTHING OUTLOOK GOOD

Recent decline in prices OF com
me dities of commerce, including the
necessaries of life, with the excep-
tion of provisions and groceries, has
brought the general average of those
prices virtually to the level Of Octo-
Der !, 1917, according to Bradstreet's
monthly average Of commodity prices
published yesterday. Even that de-
cline, however, Bradstreet's adds
leaves the consumer paying prices
based on wholesale figures, an average
of "a per cent higher than on October
1.1914.
Rradstreet's says that during Sep
tember the break in prices affected
ten groups OF commodities. while only
two groups showed advances. The re-
port is not particularly encouraging
as to food, inasmuch as the advances
are recorded for provisions and gro
ceries. The higher prices are at
tributed to seasonal but large ad-
vances IN eggs and butter and ad-
diticnal gains III hog products" The
increases in these lines, Ut is said, were
sufficient to Offset declines in q longer
list OF food products.
For people who wear clothes, how
ever, Bradstreet's is a trifle more optl-
Jnistic. The ten groups of commodities
whose prices fell off in September were
led by textiles. including cotton goods
raw cotton and wool Hemp and 5ute
are included also In that category. II
that announcement brings any ray OF
sunshine to persons who may be con
sldering these materials as a solution
10 high prices.
.liped are breadstuffs, live stock. hides
un6 laather, meals. vegetable oils nava
ftcree building materials. chemicals and
drrxt and miscellaneous products.
arAdstreet's says that the drop In
L.tce., In September was more marked
tsan in either August or May OF this
ear when there were sharp declines, OF
VI, January following the arrnistice, when
shev dropped 40 per cent. The decline
for August was 4.5 per cent. and for
LAY III per cent, while the decline for
rha month Just closed was nearly per
eeit. and 10 per cent. for the high levels
ssts.5i shed early in 1920
Tts October 1 figures are I3.s per
cert below those of year ago and 4.6
per cent. below the figures OF October i,
l9is The index figure, which is the
frchu ,ai trade term for an average price
ha7ira based upon the prices of wide
fanKs of selected commodities. for Oc-
cbor of this year Is $4,000. which
"a ? per cent. lower than the high peak
nf february of this year. In that
f.crncction Bradsteets says:
"a is interesting TO note that the 1s
nef cent reduction In the wholesale
torir-odity index numbers from the peak
,Deint on February has not been very
nyerly distributed. miscellaneous prod
1cfs declining 40 per cent. naval stores
and textiles SO and 80 per cent. bread
atuef8 metals. hides and leather about
nur cent. each. vegetable oils 20 per
.rt. and the four food groups 81 per
Hpt the declines in these latter rang
,r from per cent. in provisions to e.s
i0 fruits. "a In livestock and 10 per cent.
g nrcadstuffs.