The Washington herald., 1921-10-19
Capital Leads Other Cit
les in Decline in Prices
For the Past Year.
CLOTHING LEADS
DOWNWARD TREND
Food Charges 10 Per Cent
Less, But Rent Is
Trifle Higher.

IT. costs one-ffth less to live in
Washington today than II did a year
ago.
Statistics gathered by the Depart
ment of Labor in thirty-two cities show
that the Capital City is well TO the
fore in the drop in living expenses.
In fact, the decrease throughout the
nation has been only IS per cent. In
Washington the drop has been exactly
ais per cent since last December
During the past six months the prog
ress downward has slowed up some. 1t
has only been $40 Of per cent.
Washington furniture dealers have
set an example for the whole nation
during the year.
The price of kitchen stove and a
bedroom set no longer need deter
meu and maids in love from renting
an unfurnished fiat and patronizins
the nearest reliable parson. Since
last December the price OF furniture
has fallen 61.9 per cent Since May.
even. the drop has been II per cent
Clothing Drops G. Per Cent.
Clothing stores of the Capital City
have shown even greater desire to
meet the needs Of diminishing pay en-
velopes. During the year the price
has been cut 62.1 for all classes OF
wearing apparel In the last six
months they have cut 26.1. over one
fifth. of the price Of hats. shoes. over
coats, etc.
The graph on food prices started
! we'll. but was unable to come through
with a strong finish. Since December
1920. the total decline in the amount
Of a pay check which the average man
must deduct to maintain life has
dropped almost one-fifth. 1873 per
cent But 1t has increased Ill per
cent from the low level reached las,
May.
Rents show slight Increase.
Rents have Increased slightly during
the year. "a per cent to be exact
been only $40 of / per cent, which
Isn't so tough after all.
The cost Of fuel and light has
fallen l0.9 per cent during the year.
There has been an incoRsequential
increase of 0.5 per cent since May.
but this doesn't show in the account
books of Mr.. John J. Jones and
wife.
There is some comforting assur-
ance in the Department of Labor
report for Washington dwellers.
Comparisons over a span of seven
years. however, take a little of the
zest out of il. The total cost OF
living in the District is 65.2 per cent
higher than in the good old days OF
December. 1915.
Back in December. 1917. the high
OF low cost of living was a matter
of small concern to a respectable
portion of the Capitals population
for the high tide of war activities
made pay generous. In fact a good
many Washington young men in
those days were concerned only
| about what time the bugle blew in
the morning.
But the statistics show that when
the war was all over and folks had
to pay their own bills again the
cost of living had gone up over 10
per cent.
Living Costs Dropping Faster.
There has been a slow drop ever
since, the impetus Of the fall in
creasing considerably recently.
The decline in prices has been
considerably faster in Washington
than in Richmond. where 1t costs
only 13 per cent less to live today
than 1t did a year ago.
Norfolk, Va, beats out the Dis
trict a little. In fact, she must be
a right tight little city, for the
prices have dropped almost u per
cent during the year.
In Baltimore the decline has been
a little under 20 per cent. Boston
people are out of luck, Only a 5
per cent drop in a year is recorded
in that metropolis. Chicago has
experienced a Is per cent drop.