Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-24

St
the ~unthinking, and declared that its
application would wreck the railroads
ana II carried into industry generally
would lead to communistic ruin.
Frank 2. Walsh, former joint chair
man OF the national war labor board,
has said that an ambitious politician
who made advocacy of the living wage
ms chief issue would be swept into
the White House on a veritabie tidal
wave of popular approval.
A leading labor publication declares
that when capital admits it must con-
tlnue its existence upon public utilities
by refusing to pay what is considered
a living wage, then capital may just
as well understand that it's life in its
present form will 500 be over"
One great New York newspaper says
the living wage ista very real thing to
millions of people, while another says
that so long as the living wage was
only an abstraction nobody quarreled
with 1t, for the reason that it was eco
nonlcaily nebulous and i~nnocuous, "but
when people tried to apply it concrete
y. Its lflusory character became man
lfest n its ACCOMMODATIONS began
to work mischief; a living wage is be-
yond practical definition, either eco
nomicaily of sociologically."
From the foregoing it is apparent
that there are wide differences of opin-
ion over the question. Not only is
there a debate as to whether it is right
or even possible that all industries
should pay all workers a living wage,
but it is almost impossible to find any
two people who will agree as to what
constitutes q living wage. A lively
controversy is in prospect that may
last for many months and it is of
course inevitable that congress will
have the problem on its hands when
it comes to consider additional rail-
road legislation.
Meanwhile there is one phase Of the
subject to which little attention has as
yet been paid save by scientists and
other experts. Much is heard as to the
cost Of living and figures are produced
that are as variable as the eomrnuni-
ties from which they are quoted. In
fact, the national industrial conference
board has been led by its Investigations
to the conclusion that there is no such
things as the minimum cost of living for
the country as a whole.
A Quantity Budget Is Possible
However, economists agree that
while there probably always will be
differences Of opinion and fact as to
t what it should cost or actually does
cost an individual or q family TO live,
it should be possible to ascertain APP
{ proxImately how much food. how much
clothing and what housing facilities
will be required to maintain the aver
age family. BY this they mean that
a quantity budget is possible although
a cost budget may be debatable. In
other words, in order TO live and keep
) il good health every individual requires
) a certain amount of food, certain arti-
cles of clothing and q home that meets
at least certain minimum standards.
Government experts in the depart
ment of labor have worked out this
quantity budget for a family consisting
; Of 4 man, his wife and three children
5 "a boy Of II years. a girl Of five, and
. another boy of two. Ia i general way
. the budget includes the following pro-
! visions:
, A sufficiency Of nourishing food for
the maintenance of health. particularly
the chiidren's health.
: Housing in low-rent neighhorhoods
and within the smallest number of
rooms possible consistent with decency.
] but with sufficient light, heat and tot
lei facilities.
The upkeep of household equipment,
such as kitchen utensils, bedding and
. linen. necessary fer health. but with
:. no provision for the purchase of addi-
tional furniture.
Clothing sufficient for warmth. of q
: sufficiently good quality to be eco
nomical. but with no further regard
for appearance and style than is nee
! essary to permit the family members
: to appear in public and within their
c rather narrow social circle without
4 sioveniinesS or loss OF self-respeCt.
Streetcar fares to and from work
and necessary rides TO stores and mar.
v kets; premiums on Il small amount Of
insurance; medical and dental care
contributions TO churches and labor 81
n beneficial organizations; simple amuse'
ments. such as the motion pictures oc'
casionally. aud q daily newspaper.
l. Science Sets Food Standard
p The method Of ascertaiuing the fooe
requirements Of a family such as hat
been described is said TO be abso
y lutly scientific. Food experts agree
S that a man engaged III moderately"h hare
work needs $500 r~aiories d day. A
{ woman and a bog Of eleven require
J each nine-tenths Of the amount tina
: s~uffices a man. a girl of five Requires
fOur-tenths of the amount OF a MAJ
and d boy of two. ftfteen-hundredths
q LINUS lIt dliptti'hi ibi WV tHblAr OH
. lily should be 80 times the amount 70.
the man.
The average dietary Of $500 calorie
consist of meat, milk, vegetables. etc.
s in such proportion as to furnish tn
Il body in Il general way with the nee
essary quantities of proteins. fats,
u carbohydrates. mineral constituents
t. acids and other substances. This call
for 4 to ) ounces Of meat, > ounce
of fish, is ounces Of dairy products
Ie III to Il oance Of cereals. Is TO =
h ounces Of vegetables, 16 TO 20 ounce
Of fruits. > ounces Of fats. and
a ounces Of sugar, or their equivalents
each day. On this basis the famil
! would require a total meat and fis
equivalent Of $50 pounds per week
K $50 quarts Of milk, 9.66 pound loave
of bread, Isl pounds Of butter an
y oleomargarinc. 3.13 pounds of sugar
n $50 pounds Of flour, q peck Of pota
=, toes, about l. pounds Of other vege
tables. and so on.
At the time this quantity budget wa
II prepared il was found that it woul
:, cost S773.g3 per year TO purchase III
food for the family in Washington mar
kets, prices being considerably highe
:, .han at the present time. 1t is 4
ii interesting check on the accuracy Q
G these estimates to know that the dali
allowance for fo0d for men in the nav
:" at that time when multiplied by 3.3
h4e