The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-04-22
BY A. N. WECKSLER

Dy kAA Ave w
Minimum wages will be fixed In
the District on the basis of a
study of costs Of living Of working
women, regardless Of whether the
old law stands or new one is en-
acted, labor experts who are STUDY
ing the local situation indicate.
Under the terms of the present
law, wage levels are pred1cated
entirely on the costs OF a single
working woman to maintain her
self decently.
And under the present law, the
Minimum Wage Board, which the
law sets up, is charged with the
duty of determining how mucn
money is needed for a woman to
support herself decently.
In the event it is officially
found that living costs are higher
TODAY in Washington than they
were when the Board set mini
mum wages for several industries
it is plausible that higher wage
will be set.
Four Industries Covered
At the time when the United
States Supreme Court declared
the local Minimum wage Law uI1-
constitutional, four industries
were covered by minimum stand
ards.
The highest minimums were
granted workers III the mercan-
tile, hotel and restaurant in
dustrieS, who were granted a wage
of $3.50 a week. Women work
ers in the printing and publishing
industry were given a minimum
of $3.50 a week, and the mini
mum set for the laundry and dry
cleaning industry was SIS a week.
The only basis Of comparison OF
living costs Of working women TO-
day with those Of 1922, when a
survey was made by the Women's
Bureau of the Department of La
Dor, is the cost Of items referred
to in the early survey.
Prices Are Higher
- Comparison Of the costs Of these
items indicates that housing and
food costs today are higher, but
that the cost of clothing is some
what lower than in 1922. How
ever in regard to clothing, chang
ing styles require as large, if not
larger budget, than the one pre-
scribed in the Labor Department
study. Regarding rooms. the 1922
study reported:
"NO room was found for white
women under $40 per month. OF
the four found for $40, one was
q basement room and one had q
single small window opening on
q long narrow court. In all there
were IL rooms for white women
at less than SIS per month and
liz at SIS q month or more"
The study was not restricted to
the northwest section of the city,
a special effort having been made
to find rooms in the northeast and
southeast sections.
A survey this week by The Wash
ington Times indicated that rentals
of between $3.50 and $25 month
are being asked for rooms which
were recommended by local social
agencies.
Combination of room and board
can be obtained at a cheaper fig
ure, but the total is still higher
than the cost of the accommoda-
ton in 1922.
At that time it was found that
$25 month was an absolute mini
mum for board and lodging with
two meals a day provided.
An average decent room and
board accommodation cost was
quoted in the 1922 survey as being
approximately $40 a month.
A quotation of between $40 and
$45 o month was found by The
Times to be the prevailing rate
today, in appealing environments.
In connection with clothing
costs the 1922 survey took into
consideration the original cost of
an item, its adaptability to the
needs of a woman worker and its
durability.
Clothing Level Stands
The clothing budget stipulated
that a winter coat must last two
years, must be long and warm
and must have q plain durable
lining. Such a coat could not be
purchased for less than 500 at
that time.
A survey Of department stores
uncovered the fact that such q
coat today would retail at between
500 and $40.
However, in the matter of
dresses, the clothing budget calls
for q wool dress at $25 which must
last two years, a dress up" dress
at $25, which must last" two
years, and two summer dresses
each year at an allowance Of 81
each dress.
Department store executives
pointed out that working women
today do not buy clothes to be
worn for two years. One executive
explained:
n WUEAAuS WOAu&A tOu6y UOCS
not buy dress for SIS, and wear
1t for two years. She buys sew
eraI attractive dresses during
that period and pays between
$685. and S1O.95 for them.
1.-THE style Of her purchases
are up to the minute, but the
quality Of clothes that she wears
does mot compare with that Of