The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-22
Frederick Haskin's Letter
The Quantity Livi,1g Budget.

~PkSoi "nce ana style fh,a
is necessary to permit the f.m aaa
members to appear in public Wy
within their rather marrow . qua
Circle without sloyen!iness a. iai
OF self-respect; 'oss
Street car fares to and from -,
and necessary rides to stores "oIs
markets; premiums on 4 .n,s aa
amount q insurance: medical and
dental care; contribution =, -
churches and labor or benedci.r ). 70
CARNATIONS; simple amussras.
such as the motion pictures ~
sionaliy, and a daily newspaper
Science Sets Food Standsri
The method of ascertaininr ',ho
food requirements of a family .n ~,
as has been described is said ~ s N
absolutely scientific. Food e.ns,,.
agree that a man engaged In mos
erately hard work needs $500 calo,
les a day. A woman and a hoy :,
IL require each nine-tenths Of ,bs
amount that suffices man: a nv
OF requires four-tenths the amo,,.
of a man and boy of ., ffteen.
hundredths. Thus the allotment FIR
the entire family should be aqs
times the amount for the man
The average dietary Of $500 cal.
cries consists of meat, milk, we're.
tables, ct cetera, in such propor.
ton as to furnish the BODY in
general way with the necessary
quantities OF proteins, fats, Carlo.
hydrates, mineral constituents
acids and other substances. This
calls for to 5 ounces of meat >
ounces of fish, Is ounces of dairy
products, IL to Il ounces of milk
II ounces of cereals, l6 to n
ounces of vegetables, Is to 20
ounces of fruits. ounces Of fats
and 2 ounces of sugar, or their
equivalents. each day. On this
basis the family would require a
total meat and fish equivalent Of
$50 pounds per week, $50 quarts
of milk. 9.66 pound loaves of bread,
1.S7 pounds of butter and oleomar
garine, 3.l3 pound of sugar, 7.50
pounds of -four, peck of potatoes,
about - pounds of other vegetables,
Tand so on.
At the time this quantity budget
was prepared it was found that ii
! would cost s77S.93 per year 20 pur-
chase the food for the family in
Washington markets, prices being
considerably higher than at the
present time. 1t is an interesting
check on the accuracy Of these es-
/ Inmates to know that the daily al
. lowance for food for men in the
i navy at that time when multiplied
by 3.35 to get the family basis and
then by 365 to obtain an annual
sum, worked out to within S'few
! dollars of the total arrived at By
! the department of labor experts,
Clothing requirements for the
, family are figured with the exact
ness and detail that characterIzes
| ule food budget, including eyeFj
garment that husband, wife aid
children must have in order to keep
warm and respectable in appear
ance, and the length of time eaeh
| garment should last is also con-
puted. For instance, the mans
/ suits must last him two years, his
overcoat four years. and his rain
coat six years. and the wifes
! clothes must be similarly durable
but for the 11-year-old boy the only
things that are expected TO last over
the year are his overcoat, sweater
and belt.
+ The minimum housing standard
for a family of five has been taken
as house or apartment oil foaf
rooms with bath and running WAFER
although it is stated that such a
fumily should really have fve
rooms. Fuel and light needs are
estimated on the basis OF actual eN-
penditures of families of that Size
living in such a house.
| All the items in the budget can
! not be enumerated here, but II may
be said that il includes everything
Gown to" the number of cakes ID
soap necessary for personal clean,
illness and the family washing anu
even specifies 800 as the nunu'i
Of street car fares that wouia w
used in the course of the year.
| The cost OF such budget, a.
has been pointed out. VIII vary nu'
time to time, and from city 10 Guy
but it does seem that the eApe.s'
have done much toward deterhi'h,
| ing how much it takes to ll'e' e'eu
if they are not in agreement do "
how much it costs.