Evening star., 1937-08-01

While the soaring market value OF
meat was hoisting the cost of living to
new highs for 1887 the Works Progress
Administration reported yesterday
that its survey Of SO cities recroWned
the Capital as the most expensive mu-
nicipality in the country in which to
live, according to costs in March, 1885.
Maintenance for a family OF four in
the District required $l,4l5 year
Harry Hopkins, w. P A. administrator
disclosed. Behind Washington came
San Francisco, 81 389S7; Minneapolis,
Sl,38779; New York City, $l,375.l3
and Chicago, ST ,35611 The average
for SO cities was 81 ,26O62. The figure
for Baltimore, As miles from here,
was $l,3O065. Mobile, Ala, with
$1,l298l. was lowest.
The w. P. A. research Workers, in
bringing up to date the figures they
compiled in 1885, said maintenance
budget for a family Of four would
average about $l,3l7 as of March,
1887. They concluded that the cost
OF living in the most expensive regions
OF cities IN the lowest-cOst group.
Emergency Budget" Is 1853.
An "emergency' budget, insufficient
to maintain health and physical eff
cheney for any considerable period of
time" averaged about 1859 Officials
said the average pay of a w. P A.
worker employed II months a year
would be about $500.
Although the chief factor in the
Districts comparative high cost OF
living is rent. which exceeds by 1l6
per cent the rentals in Portland, Greg.
for example. food now becomes a
pocketbook problem. Serious short
ages Of meat animals are boosting
prices over 1886 when drought dram
atized scarcity, and the upward trend
is anticipated by experts to last at
least until the Fall
AS the pork chop moves into the
gold plate class, demand for meat
naturally falls off. and Washington
ianS. survey diScloSeS, are turning to
chicken and fish. or are becoming
perforce vegetarians, with corn. which
sold month ago at four ears for 19
cents. now available at three ears
for 10 cents.
Demand Tempers Price.
II Washington citizens were as
hungry for meat as they were last
Spring, a leading butcher said the
meat price would be far higher even
than it is. Price, however is tempered
somewhat by demand and rises slowly
but steadily
The root OF the meat problem is in
the drought. which a bumper wheat
crop this year has driven from most
persons minds. But cattle killed bv
thousands for lack Of feed a year ago
limited the supply of calves last Fall
and this Spring, so that beeves are
scarce. Now is the time when usually
cheap graSs-fed cattle are sent to the
stock yards, but these pastured ami
mails cost more than corn-feds did a
few months ago.
Lambs and hogs are following a
course similar to cattle. When feed
Is scarce and pastures are withered
in one year, at least two years are
required for the supply once more to
become adequate.
Sl,Ol3 Minimum Level Here,
The w. P. A. living cost study
produced "maintainance level" and
emergency level budgets, neither
of which represents a desirable liv-
ing standard" The cost of living
for a four-member family-man.
wife, child Of l3 and child of 8-here
on the emergency level was slO13.e SO.
10 cents more than Minneapolis, In
second place
The maintenance budget, Hopkins
said, SuppOSeS that the family lives
in four or five room house or fiat
equipped with gas, electricity, an
iceboX and small radio. Members
OF the family read a daily paper, go
to the movies once week and enjoy
few other leisure-time activities
Their food is an adequate diet al
minimum cost. The family does not
have an automobile.
The man has Winter and Summer
suit for Sunday and holiday wear, one
overcoat. a felt hat and a straw hat.
all Of which are replaced every three
years. He has three work shirts and
two dress shirts. a small supply Of