The union times., 1947-12-27
Federal Agency
 Gives Congress Survey Results
Many Earn Far Less Than Modest" Standard Set
 By us.

Among the most significant news of the week was the dis. closure by the Department of LabOr's Bureau of Labor Sta. tistics of just what it costs for an average workers family of four to maintain a ''mOdest'' American standard of living. without any frills.
 This is the first full-scale, na- tionwide family budget of that kind to be worked out by the gov- ernment.
 2-YEAR STUDY
 It represents results of twO-year study among families in 34 cities across the land. Evan Clague, chief of the Bureau, presented it in testi- mOny before the Senate-HOuse Joint Economic Committee.
 Clague's survey showed that as of last June it took an income of from $3,0O4 to $3,458 a year to meet the modest" budget. The lowest figure was for New Orleans and the highest for Washington
 HOW COSTS HAVE DOOMED
 Since June, costs have risen about } to 4 per cent, which would boost the budget in most cities by at least an additional $100 to range estimated by Clague at approximately $3,200 to almost $3,6O0
 From March, 1946. to date, the overall increase ranged from
 $500 to 5000, or more than 20
 per cent.
 What that means can best be seen by comparison with the average workers earnings. In October, the av- craze for factory workers stood at $50.97 a week, or roughly $2,650 year if employed full-time the year-around. That's from $550 to $95O less than the minimum budget
 Hence, among a vast number of families, the breadwinner doesn't earn enough to make ends meet, and some other member of the family must work to bring in extra income.
 A. F. OF L. SEES CHALLENGE
 That's one of the significant con clusions to be drawn from the study" spokesman for the A. F. of L. re- search department declared Ut shows that in this rich country, many mother of children must take a job to help eke out what IS regarded as a rock bottom American standard of living.
 ''We don't think that should be necessary. We think our society is productive enough to give every breadwinner sufficient earnings to support his family at this modest standard"
 How's the budget divided? For food, approximately $20 week for the en- tire family. That includes such items as six loaves of bread week, 12 quarts of milk, 20 eggs and close to nine pounds of meat, most of it in such low-cost grades as SteWs, hamburgers and frankfurters, with "just about enough turkey or good cuts Of meat for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year." Clague explained.
 NO TELEPHONE, NO LIQUOR
 For housing, the budget allows from $50 month in Kansas City.to $72 in Washington, For clothing, the appor- tionment is extremely limited For example, the husband would get an overcoat every seven years; the wife, cloak every four. He would buy a wool suit every two years, a light suit very three; she, two house dresses a year and two others. For the growing children, there would be three to four pairs of shoes a year.
 The housewife does all the clean ing, cooking, laundry and the like. Such a family would have no tele- phone. It would spend nothing on liquor, except for one bottle of beer a week for the parents, and few soft drinks for the children.
 In the "misce1laneous" field, such a family would get one newspaper a day, one magazine a month, and an occa- sional movie.
 All in all, it is a relatively
 Spartan budget, and provides
 for no savings other than scanty
 life insurance.