Evening star., 1933-10-29
FOOD PRICES SOAR
1873 PER CENT, u. s.
SURVEY INDICATES
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fact that it costs more to live in Wash
ington than it does in good many
other places.
The white House, it is understood, is
having . special investigation made OF
living costs in the District Of Columbia
looking toward the Forthcoming COM
putation Of the new price index. Here
tofore the index figure has been ar
rived at by a study Of food prices in
in 80 cities. The other commodities
used in the study are clothing. rent.
fuel and light, house furnishings and
miscellaneous" The miscellaneous
items. IA in number. include such var
able prices as street car fares, news
papers, telephone rates. etc.
Capital Should Be Basis.
1t has been contended that careful
study of commodity prices in the
National Capital will produce an index
figure several points higher than that
for the country IN general. 1t is but
tair, friends Of the employees argue,
that the cost-of-living index for Wash
iDgton-not for a group Of other cities
should be the yardstick by which wages
here are measured.
With a view to getting a general line
on the cost-of- living trend in Wash
ington, The Star has just completed a
survey OF retail prices on home and
family essentials here.
Commodities that might be consid-
cred luxuries were left out of calcu-
lation. Reliable concerns were can
vassed for the information sought,
e,ery one flying the Blue Eagle. This
line of inquiry took in wearing apparel
fol men, women and children; some
household furnishings and fuel. For
food prices the Semi-monthly figures
gathered by the Department of Labor
from representative concerns were used,
together with supplementary figures
from an establishment where. 1t would
reasonably be presumed, bedrock prices
would prevail.
generally the increase already is an
accomplished fact. the Bureau of Labor
Statistics putting at 1913 per cent the
rise between April 15-when the Gov
ernment salary cuts first were reflected
in pay checks-and September rs,
which is the most recent computation.
Clothing Prices Go Ur.
In apparel some increases already are
recorted, but merchants emphasize that
in many lines the rise will not be ap-
parent until present stocks are eX-
hausted and replacements become neces-
sery. That, of course, is only ques-
ton of time.
Some CT the prospective apparel boosts
include the following: Mems clothing,
suits. 13 to so per cent; overcoats,. 20
to SO 1-3; hats. 20; gloves. so; under
wear. 40. Shoes (and the same an
plies to those for women and chlldren)
already have shown an average ad-
vance of 50 cents per pair, with some
lines due for additional increases rang
ing from so cents to 81. Shirts are up
for ea acreage Of so rer cent. There
aIeo has been a general advance up to
65 pe- cent in ho-iery for men and
women.
One firm announced that popular
lov-priced dress would advance 60 per
cent and that "knockabout" hats for
women would 60 up so. An increase of
the same proportions is scheduled for
silk slips A woman'S coat that sold
for $50 couple Of months ago. today
would retail for SIC, which gives point
to the explanation Of one merchant
that where low clothing costs are
quoted, it is because orders were placed
In time to permit deliveries before early
September, when the garment code went
into effect. Later Deliveries are carry
ing the higher prices. The marked
upward swing in hosiery is ascribed to
the fact that prices went down in the
Summer because of warm competition
between the producing mills.