Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-09-04
COST OF LIVING
ENLARGED MORE
THAN INCREASED.
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

! Nashlnston' sept o'-4'e''iiS a.,
OF the strikes whlch nave occulleo
| in recent years have been Tor the
| purpose of obtaining higher wages
or to prevent the reduction of eX-
listing wages. In some strikes only
issues involving hours OF labor and
other working conditions have been
| involved, but, generally speaking,
the strikes have been wage strikes
Since prices of commodities
started to go I'D with the outbreak
of the European war, especial
stress has been laid on the elements
of the cost of living as the principal
argument for wage increases or for
retention, rather than reduction of
established wage scales.
This had led to special studies of
the problem of the cost of living,
and one fact established is that
prices have not risen SO much as
| the number of commodities regard
ed as necessities has multiplied. In
truth, the prices of some staples
are substantially lower than they
were years ago. Further, many
commodities are within the range
| OF comparatively low-waged work.
ers which. because of rarity or
high price, were formerly wholly
out Of their reach. The net result
Of the study is that the whole qnes-
ton of the cost OF living is relative.
There Is scarcely anyone who
does not agree that the people
should have the additional things
which they enjoy under modern
conditions, but there is desire to
emphasize that exact comparisons
cannot be made and that to say
that the cost of living has increased
else statement is that the cost OF
modern living has increased.
The first labor union was organ
ICED in the county of Dorsetshire in
England more than a.century ago.
It's founders are known in the lore
of organized labor as The Sit Men
of Dorset. They were farm labor
ers and they struck for higher
wages. The wages which they re-
ceived consisted almost wholly of
their food and lodging. A few
pence were added in money but
only enough to buy little beer and
tobacco. The wage increase for
which thew struck was more meat.
They were getting meat only on
Sundays. the remainder of their
diet consisting chiefly of humble
porridge and such vegetarian food
They desired meat twice or three
times a week.
Dealt with SummariIy.
The action of the Six Men of
Dorset was regarded by the British
employers as preposterous and
highly dangerous to organized So
ciety. They were arrested, tried
and convicted of conspiracy for
forming their union and were
transported on the prison ship Sue
cess to serve long terms in the
penal colony of Van Dieman's land. !
The comparison between the SiXl
Men OF Dorset and modern labor
union striking for more dollars per
day or for shorter hours IS mn eX-
treme one, but it serves to show
how times have changed and how
the condition of men has improved. |
But more immediate COMPARE
sons, particularly with n view to
the added comforts of lis, will be .
more opposite. Take tho single |
item of ice cream. Formerly it was
altogether a luxury. Today every
urchin on the streets has an ice
cream cone daily and sometimes |
several times a day. |
Every American city spends sew
cral thousand dollars a day for ice
cream. This is an entirely new adj
dition to the cost of living, and 1t
may be pointed out that It is not ,
fair to call this an increase in the !
cost of living. 1t merely Is an ad- |
dition to the cost of living. If
given city spend $4,000 a day for
ice cream, the citizens or nat Guy
have added s3O,000Na day to their
cost of living by making this eX-
nenditure. This is an addition. not !
an increase, in the cost of living or
soto 600 a week; $1O.92o,OOo a !
year. We spend, In addition, 81
600 600 a day for ice. a compare
tively modern convenience.
Another Immediate comparison
is the motion picture show. TWO
decades ago movies were scarce. A |
Few were operating but the uniVer-
col admission charge was cents.
Today the American public spends
annroximatelv 100000 900 n
vear on the movies. This Is So
aniece for every man, woman ana
child in the nation. This is an al
difion TO. not an increase in. the
cos+ of living.
nh aso increas seq could be multi |