The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-01-01
Find NY Women
Need Sl.l00 YedrlY
Necessary For Adequate
Living And Health
Protection

New York City QLNS).-Women
who work in New York State need
Sl,1C0.69 a year to maintain them
selves at an adequate level Of living
and to protect their health, according
to report by Miss Kate Papert, di-
rector of the Division of Women in
Industry and Minimum Wage, State
Department of Labor. These figures
are based on cost-of-living survey
made by the division in order to meet
the requirements of the New York
State minimum wage law.
The figure $1,1OO.G9 is the annual
cost Of adequate maintenance and pro-
lection Of health for a woman worker
living as a member of a family. 1t is
estimated, from the results of last
years survey, that about 10 per cent
more is needed by women workers
living alone, This years cost-of- living
budget is per cent higher for the
State Of New York as a whole and
81 per cent for New York City, as
compared with last years figures. 1t
was emphasized by Miss Papert that
this budget is not one that merely
maintains life and keeps body and
soul together.
What Budget Must Provide
"Our minimum wage law requires
that the budget must provide ade-
quately for the working woman" said
Miss Papert. at must make her in
dependent of philanthropc agencies
and other outside aid. The budget
must permit worker to support her
self, to keep up her morale, to COM
pete for and hold her job.
"The clothing budget must give her
an adequate wardrobe the year round.
1t would fail to serve her needs if the
clothing merely keeps her warm and
covers her. AS a matter of fact,
physical needs play minor role in
determining adequate clothing stand
ards. Rather this is based on the
habits Of buying Of working women.
1t is a well-known fact that working
women, just as all other women, will
do without things to be able to buy
the kind of clothes which make them
presentable.
"The food budget must provide a
balanced diet which will assure good
health over an indefinite period De-
cent and sanitary living quarters with
electric light and modern plumbing
are necessary for the Self-respect of
working women. The budget must also
allow for clothing upkeep, for per-
sonal and medical care, insurance,
savings, leisure time activities which
include recreation, vacation and edu-
cation. The budget must also take
into consideration transportation,
charity, gifts and various other Incl
dentals. At the same time, the stand
ard must be minimum standard. 1t
does not include luxures, extremes
or even many desirable things which
are in fairly general use"
This years survey showed the
greatest increase in food. Raw food
costs for New York State had in
creased 1913 per cent and in New York
City 80 per cent. Rents had increased
to some extent. Clothing had in
creased at the same rate, 90 per cent
in both State and New York City
Most of the other prices remained
about the same and in some places
had even declined slightly, especially
in some Of the services. The report
points out that if woman who haG
no dependents earned $l,l00.69, she
would have to pay approximately $3C
in State and Federal income taxes
for which no allowance is made in the
budget.
Although the cost-of- living budget
is prepared for the use of minimum
wage boards in determining minimum
wage rates in the various industries
no wage board has yet been able tC
recommend a minimum wage which
approaches this figure. The wage
board must take into consideration
not only the amount necessary to pro
vide adequate maintenance and to por
tcct health Of workers, but must con
slider the value of the services rem
dered and existing conditions in the