The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-12-02
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
EREDERIo }. HAsKN. Darecssr.
Washington. d. O.
THE QUANTITY LIVING BUDGET.

labor board has attacked the theory
of the living wage as a bit of melli-
fluous phraseology, well calculated TO
deceive the unthinking, and declared
that its application would wreck the
railroads and If carried into industry
generally would lead to communicate
ruin
Frank p walsh former joint
chairman of the national war labor
board, has said that an ambitious
politician who made advocacy Of the
living wage his chief issue would be
swept into the White House on a
veritable tidal wave of popular ap-
prevail.
A leading labor publication declares
that when capital admits it must con-
tinue its existence upon public utili-
ties by refusing to pay what is con-
Nsidered a living wage, then capital
may Just as we'll understand that its
life in its present form will soon be
over"
One great New York newspaper says
the living wage is a very real thing
to millions of people, while another
says that so long as the living wage
was only an abstraction nobody quar-
relied with it. for the reason that it
was economically nebulous and in
nocuous, ~'but when people tried to
apply it concretely, its iIlusory char
acter became manifest and its self
began 10 WOTh AlAS-
chief; a Wing wage is beyond prac-
teal definition. either economically or
sociologica1ly."
From the foregoing it is apparent
that there are wide differences of
opinion over the question. Not only
is there a debate as to whether it is
right or even possible that all indus
tries should pay all workers living
wage, but it is almost impossible to
find any two people who will agree
a n xuhaf nnnGffrrItaC "a living
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
railroad 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
communities from which they are
quoted. In fact, the national Industrial
conference board has been led by it's
to the conclusion that
there is no such thing as the mini
mum cost of living for the country as
a whole.
A Quantity Budget Is Possible.
However, economists agree that
while there probably always will be
of opinion and fact as to
cost an individual or family to live,
it should be possible to ascertain ap-
proXimately how much food, how
much clothing and what housing IA
the average family. By this they mean
that a quantity budget is possible al
tho cost budget may be debatable.
In other words, in order to live and
keep. in good healh every individual
requires a certain amount of food, GER
tain articles of clothing and a home
that meets at least certain minimum
standards.
Government experts in the depart
ment of labor have worked out this
quantity budget for family consisting
of a man, his wife and three children
"a boy of IL years, a girl of 5, and
another boy of 2. In a general way
the budget includes the following pro-
visions:
A sufficiency of nourishing food for
the maintenance of health, particu-
larly the children's health;
Housing in low-rent neighborhoods
rooms possible consistent with de-
cency, but with sufficient light, heat
and toilet facilities;
The upkeep of household equipment
such as kitchen utensils, bedding, and
linen. necessary for health, but with
no provision for the purchase of adj
ditional furniture;
Clothing sufficient for warmth, OF
a 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
rather narrow social circle with |
out sloVenlineSS or loss of self-respect; |
Street car fares to and from work |
and necessary rides to stores and mar |
kets; premiums on small amount of
insurance; medical and dental care; |
to churches and labor |
hanpfiNia1 0rOaniZatinnG- SiUpnla /
such as the motion pic
lures occasionally, and a daily news |
paper.
Science Sets Food Standard.
The method of ascertaining the food |
requirements of family such as has
been described is said to be absolutely |
scientific. Food experts agree that a |
man engaged in moderately hard work |
needs $500 calories a day. A woman |
and a boy of eleven require each nine |
tenths of the amount that suffices a |
man; a girl of five requires four
tenths the amount of a man and boy |
Of two Observation-Disclosures. Thus the |
allotment for the entire family should |
be 3.35 times the amount for the man. |
The average dietary of $500 calories
consists of meat, milk vegetables, ct
cetera, in such proportion as to fur
nish the body in a general way with |
the necessary quantities of proteins, /
fats, carbohydrates, mineral const1tu-
ents acids and other substances. This
calls for to 5 ounces of meat, 2
ounces of fish, 16 ounces of dairy
products. IL to IL ounces of milk, IL
ounces of cereals, 16 to 20 ounces of
16 to 20 ounces of fruits,
2 ounces of fats, and ounces of su-
gar, or their equivalents, each day.
On this basis the family would require
4 total meat and fish equivalent of
959 pounds per week, $50 quarts of
milk, s.66 pound loaves of bread. 1877
pounds of butter ana oleomargerine,
BIB pounds of sugar, $50 pounds of
flour, a peck of potatoes. about IL
pounds of other vegetables, and so on
At the time this quantity budget