The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-15

| London, April 15.-English wage
earning women are much impressed
/ by the news Just over from America
and widely published here that work
ing girls in Kansas are expected to
dress on $50 a year; that so per cent
of the women wage earnerS IN that
! state earn less than $12 a week, 10
/ per cent less than SIS. and that the
Women's division of the Kansas
court of industrial relations has laid
down that $16.93 a week is the mimi
mum necessary to maintain a work
ing woman at a. decent standard of
living
J A similar survey of England is now
being made and it is claimed that. all
things taken into account, it will be
found that the industrial worker. the
factory hand and even the domestic
servant in England has really bet
ter chance of a decent standard of
to do.
The ordinary shop or office worker
in England, a beginner, who earns
from Sc to IS a week (taking the
pound to equal SO for an S-hour day,
reckens to spend half her wages in
board and lodging The other half
is divided between summer holiday
fund, insurance, clothes, carfare and
recreation.
Clerks Must Economic.
Stenographers and office clerks
have to spend more on their clothes
than factory workers, and therefore
have to take from their food account
to exc out the expense of an office
outfit. Factory workers on the other
hand are provided with overalls,
which they usually wear as dresses,
and are therefore able TO save their
own clothes for outdoors and home
wear.
A very good winter coat of thick
warm cheviot or blanket cloth can be
bought anywhere for $12. This coat
lasts two seasons and is often made
to last four. 1t can therefore be
put down in the annual expense &C
count at Sc.
English working girls all wear the
same kind of hats, summer and win
ter. The velour felt, which is worn
seven or eight months of the year,
usually lasts two seasons and costs
originally $1.z5sor 81. In summer
straw of similar shape trimmed with
a band of bright ribbon, which is fire.
quently changed, costs about $3.50.
These will be bought alternate years.
The standard blue serge suit worn
by the majority of working girls in
summer has returned to its pre-War
price of Sc. The winter tweed suit
now comes to the same price. and the
usual habit is TO buy a serge suit one
year and a tweed the next. So that
only one suit need be placed in the
annual budget.
In underclothes the English girl is
l.
the lower classes does not change all
her undertakings every week-the tenn
perate climate makes this possible;
she changes one garment one week,
another the next; so her laundry and
her underclothes are relatively small
items. Two union suits cost So, a
winter petticoat 81, Knockers 81, three
blouses Is and two each of chemise
and drawers come within So. Three
pairs of stockings 81, a corset $2.50,
fHuTA asn-ez
who work in cities go to dances and
have pair of dancing shoes as well,
which may run as high as $2.50. 1t
is usual to have a party dress, too.
which she may make herself or buy
for Sc.
Dress Bill to $42.5O Per Year.
This brings the dress bill for the
year up to $3.50. to which must be
added the cost of a macintosh, an
umbrella and a sweater, which the
English girl usually knits for herself
The girl who earns at the rate of
$12 week (f3) in England is looked
upon as wel1-to-do, able to take her
fair share in the family support, to
make just contribution when any
new furniture or equipment is needed
in the house. able to go to the seaside
for her two weeks vacation in the
summer, and spend as much as s12 a.
week while she is there; able to en-
terrain her friends at her birthday
party once year and ask her boy
to share the family Sunday dinner
without feeling that the others are be-
ing imposed upon.
On the other hand, the girl who
earns the equivalent of S12 a week
and has to live alone finds life pretty
meager and restricted. The boarding
house and hotel are her most econoY11-
ical resort; but living this life means
a constant drain in small subscrip-
tons, in tips and other local claims.