Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-26
The Problem of Prices.

According to reports received by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics os the United
States Department Of Labor from retail
dealers in so cities, the average family
expenditure for food was per cent higher
on January Is, 1920, than on December
Is, 1919. The cost in December was 90
per cent higher than it had been in any
previous month. These figures show an
increase Of Q per cent since January,
1919. and an increase of 104 per cent
since January, 1918. The comparisons
are based on the average retail prices Of
the following articles, weighted according
10 the consumption Of the average farpily:
Sirloiu steak, round steak. rib roMt.
chuck roast. plate beef, pork chops, bacon.
ham, lard, hens. flour, corn meal, eggs,
butter, milk, bread, potatoes. sugar,
cheese, rice. coffee and tea
Since January. 1919, monthly retail
prices of food have been secured for a
food articles. During the month from
December Is. 1919. TO January Is, 1920. /
20 OF the "a articles Of food for which (
follows: Cabbage, SO per cent; potatoes, /
26 per cent; granulated sugar. 23 per
cent; onions, II per cent; lamb and rolled /
oats, per cent, each; hens, per cent:
plate beef, 6 per cent; -four, per cent;
srloin steak, rib roast, chuck roast, bread
and Cream OF Wheat, a per cent, each:
round steak and raisins, 5 per cent each:
canned salmon and rice, . per cent each;
ham, evaporated milk, macaroni baked
beans, tea, coffee and bananas, ] per cent
each. Bacon, nut margarine, cheese and
Crisco each increased less than fve-tenths
of ] psr cent.
The II articles which decreased in price
were: Strictly fresh eggs, per cent but
ter. per cent; lard and canned tomatoes.
: per cent each; pork chops, storage eggs
and oranges, per cent each; fresh milk.
canned corn. canned peas and prllnes, /
per cent each. Prices remain unchangedfor
navy beans.
During the year period, January, 1919,
10 January, 1920, % of the AZ articles for
which prices were secured on both dates
increased as follows: Onions, l2O per
cent: cabbage, 9S per cent; potatoes, 90
per cent; granulated sugar, 65 per cent;
raisins. 53 per cent; prunes, AZ per cent;
coffee, Al per cent: rice. 81 per cent: -four,
% per cent; canned salmon, 16 per cent:
Criseo, I3 per cent; Cream Of Wheat and
IL per cent each; Oleomargarine :.
and strictly fresh eggs, 10 per cent each;
bread, s per cent; fresh milk and corn
neal, per cent each; hens and butter. 5
per cen each: evaporated milk and stor- :,
,ee eggs, per cent each: lard. 2 per cent. n
md lamb and tea, per cent each. Ar &
icles which decreased in price during
he year were: Navy beans, Is per cent:
1late beef, Ii per cent bacon, IA per cent: re
AIMED tomatoes, II per cent; chuck II
oast and baked beans, 10 per cent each:
'Ork chops, per cent; ham and canned
orn, per cent each; round steak, ; per 81
ent; rib roast, per cent: cheese and w
AIMED peas. per cent, and sirloin steak.
at margarine and oranges. per cent
ach. The price Of cornhakes was the &c
anne as in January, 1919 Sa
II Is very interesting to read these food 70
nd price statistics, but that they will tll
rove satisfying, or even thoroughly ex- 80
Ianatory, TO the perplexed housekeeper be
no ilnds IT difficult TO meet market con-
tions on an allowance hardly commen-
lrate with the increases is another mat
r. These statistics are based on prices ~ ~
iicially obtained, but il is altogether do
'obable they have been largely exceeded str
many instances Of dealings with the -:
'erage run OF customers. Therefore
any housekeepers who follow the adj
lrabie practice Of keeping budget I,
ay find their figures Of increase at vari- I
ce with those set forth under govern
ant agency, and possibly look in vain
: the decreases mentioned.