Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-05
SPONSORS DEFEND
. $50 BUDGET CLAIM
Estimates Intended Only for
Families Where Standard
: Is imperative.

Answering the storm of criticism
which greeted its recent announce
n1ent of suggested budget fol
families of four with an income OF $50
month. the Budget dav committee OF
the District thrift committee issued a
statement last night in defense of its
figures
Mrs W. E. Chamberlin. the COM
mittee chairman. and f. A. Drumm a
member of the committee. said the
budget was intended only for families
absolutely compelled to live on less
than 500 a month.
We are not recommending this 10
any ore who can avoid ii. as our &C.
cusing friends seem to think" the
statement said but We are making an
honest effort 10 be of service 10 those
Vho have very limited resources
Furthermore. ii is important for every
one 10 realize that no budget can be
made up which will exactly fit the
needs OF many families. For most. il
can be only guide for a general plan
Of expenditure. which must be modified
10 suit the needs of the individual
family.
Says Items Vary.
For instance the man who owns his
home has smaller item for shelter
than he who rents or is buying. the
man with garden. whose wife cans the
surplus from it. has smaller outlay
for food. and so on. There are all sorts
OF individual notifications 10 be taken
into account. And nothing can be done
by any one along this line unless an
exact account Of expenditures is kept.
That must be the basis upon which
Ia start the budget plan.
Besides. the family habits must be
taken into account The thrifty house
wife. who utilities all left-oyers. can
save quite a bit on her table expense.
and If she makes a study of food and
food values. she will undoubtedly find
it's possible 10 give greater variety TO
her table al smaller expense than If
she uses Just certain conventional line
Of foods. She will find that many things
which children do not take TO can be
made palatable and attractive by proper
cooking and handling. II she trains her
children 10 help with the household
tasks. she will find more of her time
released for sewing and recreation. and
for rest
Cites Many Factors.
MANY things enter into successful
living on a small income besides the
actual division Of the money that comes
IN. Careful buying IN quantity. tax
ing advantage of sales. avoidance OF
waste make a tremendous difference.
too
To return 10 the actual budget, the
figures which We published were taken
from q survey Of 81 industrial cities
widely scattered over the United
States. which was made and published
By one OF the Government departments
IN 1918. This showed an average eX-
penditure of SLOTS for 2.423 families
To bring these figures up 10 date wn
used a statistical report for a bulletin
of living costs for 1927. figuring in
crease and decrease OF costs as of this
year.
IN the budget report operating ex-
pense' and advancement were LISTED
as miscellaneous expenditure We do
not claim that this budget is beyond
question. but il is something to shoot
a.. 50 that by studying It. criticiZiHg.
adjusting and changing IL, each family
ma, arrive al something that viii meet
its needs. We realize that for Wash
tngton the shelter item 1925 year. is
low. but II We go into operating ex-
penses' where a family has heat fur
nished. the $50 which is allotted for
fuel can be added 10 the shelter ac-
count Eighteen dollars. too. is probably
more than is needed for ice Some Of
this might be added 10 shelter cost. If
the husband Of the family does not
carry insurance that additional amount
may be added. though We do not recon-
mend this II he lives near his work
20 that he can walk to and from his
place o. employment. some OF the car
fare allowance can be added
Disregzrds Long Illness.
Under advancement if any member
% the family was Ill for long time,
free disqualification would be neces-
Bsry. Items listed for clothes. insurance
and furniture should be applied 10 the
savings account and used when neces-
ssry. The item fuel and light also
tn part can be applied 20 the savings
account in the Summer months where
they are not furnished with the shelter.
no modern business could be con-
Quoted without the manager knowing.
a. the end Of the set period whether
there Is an increase or decrease in
profits and why should not the house.
hold. the keeping Of the home. one of
the most important businesses in the
world. De conducted On the same bust
ness principles? II il we're. not only
Wouio better economic condition de-
vs3op for the home. but there woulo
b. q greater interest IN IL and more
1T is estimated that about tyo-tenthS
Of the families Of TIE United States
receive less than 81 200 a year. This lie
hard for those VINO live very much
sboYe mat scale 70 realize, and IL is
equally difficult for them 10 realize that
u Can DE- cone. though 1t must Of course
b. without many u the luzurieS shat
people with more adequate incomes
haze come 70 regard as necessities.
We are glad that our budget has re-
ts3sec criticism. because that showed
that people are thinking about II and
vnzt II represents, and that is the real
o1ypoS@ " ito make people think
soout II get the facts. study the conci-
tons q! lie u those who must live On
tEnaB incomes. 80 that they may BE- IA
naijlzE enough with the process ~ help
5loae with less. perhaps. " PICK out
ss3e real essentials, and give them The
ageponcerznce they should have j."
The disputed budget spportionec
Te2rly salary Of si.075, at follows
FDC>d, $500 yearly; shelter. sZ25, opsr-
siing expefaSe& slSS. clothes. 800: ac-
Tancemeat, si02. savings, $50, anc gifts
10
SRA IAL ADIhks.
80 Il a. IL