Evening star., 1941-10-12
Cost Of Living Here
Increases 3.4 Pct.
In Three Months
Labor Statistics Bureau
Will Publish Figures
Every Menth
By OLIVER MCKEE.

During the three months ending
in September, living costs in the
District increased "a per cent and
are now nearly 7 per cent higher
than in September. 1910, Acting
Commissioner of Labor Statistics
Hinrichs announced yesterday.
With the current advance. the
Bureau of Labor Statistics cost of
living index for the District has
reached 1867 of the average for the
base period I935-1e39 This is 8
per cent above the level Of 1887.
Living costs here, however, are still
far below the high marks recorded
lowing the World War. In Decem-
Der. 1918. the index reached 1l95,
and in June, 1920. had climbed to
141.e. In December, 1929. the index
was 114.5-nearly 8 per cent higher
than the present level.
The bureau announced that it will
publish hereafter monthly cost of
living figures for the District
Though fuel and food prices have
been collected monthly for some
time, overall changes for the Dis
trict, in the past, have been pub
lished quarterly.
Funds Made Available.
The Washington Board of Trade
and other agencies have requested
more frequent data for the District,
now one of the country's most i'm
portant defense areas.
Food Prices Rise 5.4 Per Cent.
Food costs in the District have
increased 5,4 per cent since June,
and are now II per cent above the
March levels, according to the bu-
reaus figures. Food costs advanced
nearly per cent last month. Eggs,
fresh milk and butter registered the
sharpest rise-in each case more
than 8 per cent.
Clothing costs, on the average,
were 8.5 per cent higher in Septem-
Der than in June. With the intro
duction of new lines of fall clothing
in September, retail prices moved
sharply upward, the bureau pointed
out.
Housefurnishing costs increased
nearly 6 per cent during the past
three months. Among the specific
items cited as advancing in price
were cotton towels and sheets, wool
rugs, suites of furniture. curtains,
wool blankets and electrical ap-
pliances.
Fuel, electricity and ice moved up
Il per cent during the quarter, and
miscellaneous costs" rose 1.6 per
cent. The bureau noted sub
stantial advance in the prices of
automobiles, tires, tubes and gaso-
line. and costs of laundry and do
mestic service increased.
Rents Up 0.6 Pct.
Rents advanced only O.6 per cent
during the quarter, according to
the bureaus figures. Since most
leases did not terminate until Oc-
tober 1, compare lively few rent in
creases were reported during the
past three months, it said.
With the average for the period
1935-1939 providing the base of 100.
the indices for the various items that
make up the cost of living totals
for the District on September Is
stood as follows: Food, HOS; cloth
ing, 1877; rent, 1909; fuel, electricity
and ice, 10l; house furnishings,
l179, and miscellaneous, 1O4.2.
The figures given out yesterday
do not reflect the impact of the new
Federal excise taxes on the District
pocketbook, bureau experts pointed
out. These levies will be reflected,
however, in the cost of living changes
in October, which will be made pub
lie in November.
In preparing its index on rent
changes in the District the bureau
covers approximately 1000 dwell
ings. 1t obtains rent data on these
homes by examining the books of
rental agents.
Estimates of changes in food costs
are based on a check of Is stores,
including national and local chains.
Each chain is treated, for statis-
tical purposes, as a single store.
Nearly so individual foods are COW
cred. The weight which each food
Is given in determining the food
cost index depends on It's irnpor-