New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-29
She Said Girls Could Dress on
$3.50; Kdnsan Is Sorry No,v
Miss Berger, of Topeka, Decided Fixing Budget Was
Ihankless Job When 400 Irate Women Stormed
Her Shop; State Industrial Court Is Blamed

Never again as long as she lives
will Miss Nell Berger, of Topeka, Kan,
compile budget for the working girl.
It's thankless Job, she let it be
known yesterday at the Hotel st. An
drew, where she is staying during
buying trip for her firm
When between 300 and 400 indignant
girls invade your shop and call for
your scalp because you happened to
have had hand in setting the prices
of budget that allowed a girl only
$3.50 a year to dress on-well, it's
time to call halt.
in the State Of Kansas last spring
when the Kansas Industrial Court or
dered hearing to find out the mini
mum amount on which a working girl
could dress herself The criticism that
ensued centered about the person of
Miss Berger, who, as buyer for Cros
by Brothers, was one of the principal
witnesses. She priced stockings, for
instance, at rs cents pair. The girls
OF the Middle West simply would not
stand for it in this silk stockineed
age. They said SO in unmistakable
zones at hrst. but were notified when
inc e., situation was explained to them.
1T was really al a mistake" said
Miss Berger yesterday. az would
never compile budget for any one.
The list of clothing was drawn up bv
men-state officials. l was simply
asked to put a price on the various
ARTICLES. And let me saw right here
that many of the articles listed in
that budget are rarely worn by the
modern --petticoats and corsets.
for instance"
MASS Berger stuck resolutely to her
guns on the question of stockings. or
course she was setting the minimum
Price on them, but back in Topeka
there are endless pairs of 25-cent isle
stockings, she said, if. only the e 1;Ti
would wear them. The contention was
that you could not buy stockings un.
der 90 cents pair. She was simnlv
pointing out that they were ob+a?,,'
able at 25 cents. The BUDGET tba+
aroused such Indignation called 80
TWO hats year and two nairs "
shoes pairs OF
don't think any one has anv rieb+
70 say what another girl shall wear ~
i5ow much she shall spend" said Miss
hb er ~ she is capable of earning
n as' own llving she is certainly capable
81 spending her salary. We were nv
ing to show that the cost of living ~ hsa
decreased 33 13 per cent. The wa t,as
mat carried girls through 1920. when
high,water mark was reached in prices e.es
SHOULD s1i certainly be sufficient now"
MISS Berger believes that tbe work-
ing girl is good schemer." In tha
west more girls live at home. and en-
she said 'ief'
uo,, New York girls are clothes crazy"
Volunteered Miss Berger. ~ suppose
it is because of the golden glitter p and
Ie irresistible display in the shops'
IN the West even the fiappers are ever
so much more moderate, although al
ways prettily dressed. Of course 7
peiieve that if it keeps up their morale
they should have all the clothes thew
can afford and pay the prices they ike.
It is not SO much what girl spends
that matters as knowing how to keen
within the bounds of her salary"
MISS Berger is taking long skirts
n uaek 70 Ioieao with her The women
them. W
Il think men won't allow long skirts