Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-29

How do you manage on the sal
aries you get?" A friend OF an older
generation asked me this question. not
from idle curiosity. but beca,ise she
was genuinely interested. In broader
sense. she wanted information as TO
the economic problem that faces the
many families of Army and Navy ofh-
GERS. and scientific :s,nn In the Govern.
ment service. who are living In and
around Washington.
You realize. then. that these salaries
have In no wise kept pace with tho
increasing cost of living. and the def
mite needs and essentials they are sup
posed to cover" replied I'm afraid
my explanation will sound more or
less vague" / warned her, "for II Is
a problem that is solved In various
and sundry ways. and quite often
forced. I don't feel / can cite any
one family as typical. but think I
can say that practically all Of us who
are living on three to four thousand a
year have adopted the budget system.
It's only fair to add. though. that most
OF my friends have a small income on
the side which, more often than not.
enables them to break even at the end
Of the month or year.
Hundreds Of officers and scientific
men have given up their professions.
not because they wanted TO leave the
work they trained for, and loved, but
because they found that their salaries.
however carefully administered. we're
just not sufficient for their families
welfare. and that they must take posi-
lions in more remuneratiye fields.
I'VE are not grumbling. nor are we
actively discontented. but 1t is a cause
for worry that this situation s a fact
The slight increase In salaries has not
brought relief from the stern fact that,
though We manage our budgets as con-
scientiously as possible. we have pen
MES only to save and invest, where
dollars are needed TO take care Of the
expense Of the high cost OF getting Ill
and dying. At present. the only solu-
ton Is to pray for perpetual sunshine.
and run to the bank for loan when
the rainy day comes.
ITO get back to the budget-it must
be divided up for housing (which In
cludeS rent. taxes or payments on a
home). fuel, light. telephone. house.
hold needs. clothing. health. Insurance
church. charity, servant, automobile.
recreation. and. finally. a pretty i'm
portant item. children"
At this point In my talk my friend
seemed to gasp for breath, as the say
ing goes. but I kept on. relentlessly.
Let's go into few details men,
toned In that list House. generally
rented. though some families which
feel settled enough buy homes. for
which they pay through the banks or
building and loan associations. For the
majority. and this In spite Of q care
full study Of the relative merits Of own
ing home. as applied 70 their par
ticular situation. the renting Of house
or apartment still seems the best solu-
ton. Real estate Is as nervous and
temperamental a creature as the stock
exchange. and. anyhow, TO tie up to q
long-drawn out debt isn't the best sort
Of business.
Clothing. thank goodness. the price
Of clothes has descended the money
scale that every other commodity Is
ascending at q rapid pace However.
the Army and Navy ofacer has an
added expense here. for. though he has
the edge when 1t comes 10 eommuta-
ton for quarters and can buy, too,
from commiSsarieS. he must have uni
forms as well as multi The scientific
man can save on clothes. at least he
tries to. and he looks the part al
right.
Perhaps you think We might elm
mate the two items servant and auto
mobile. but can convince you 70 the
contrary. Naturally. We must live In
desirable neighhorhood. and We must
entertain socially, for both private
pleasure and because It Is an inherited