Evening star., 1951-09-22
Prices Of Goods,
Services Rises
5.9Pct. in DC.
Food and Rent Costs
Are Below Average,
Labor Bureau Says

Retail prices for goods and serv-
ices in Washington climbed So per
cent during the year ending Au-
gust Is. the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics reported today, but food
and rent costs and many other
items still were below the national
level.
Chief factor in the rise, the bu-
reau said, was a 81 per cent in
crease in residential rents. It
pointed out there were fractional
increases in apparel, miscellaneous
goods and services and for fuels.
But food dropped eight-tenths of
! per cent and house furnishings
IA per cent since May.
The bureau said that the Wash
ington food index on August is
was 222.6 per cent of the 1858
average: 1913 per cent above the
level of June, 1850. before the
Korean conflict started, and 7.3
per cent higher than a year ago.
D. C. Average Is 1908.
The bureau listed the Nation
wide average for all items at
1855. compared with Washing
tons 1908; under food the Ma
tion-wide figure was 227, against
WaShington's 2226; apparel
showed 203.6 for the country as a
whole, compared with Washing
tons 225; rent for the Nation
stood at 1868, compared with
Washington's 1248; fuel, elec-
tricity and refrigeration for the
United States average was 144.2
against Washigton's 1889; house
furnishings for the country were
given as 210.8 against Washing
tons 2178 and miscellaneous for
the Nation was 1854 against
Washington's 1855.
Washington registered the
largest rent increase of IL cities
surveyed, the bureau said. This
was due to incresaes permitted
here by a new local rent control
law which became effective in
July.
The bureau said the residential
rents averaged l per cent higher
in August than in May in the cities
surveyed.
Retail Prices Unchanged.
1t pointed out that retail prices
OF goods and services bought by
moderated income urban families
were unchanged. on the average,
between July and August. The
retail food price index declined
3 per cent and the house furnish
tngs group index was 8 per cent
lower than in July.
Lower prices for fruits and vege-
tables, which were down "A per
cent August Is, compared with
July Is. were chiefly responsible
for lowered food prices, the bureau
said. It listed price drops of 10
per cent or more for apples. on
ions, potatoes and fresh tomatoes
1t said lower prices also were re-
ported for fats and oils and for
cereals and bakery products.
Eggs were up nearly 7 per cent,
between mid-July and mid-Au-
gust, the bureau said. due to sea-
sonal upsWing.
Market Prices Decline.
The bureau asserted that the
average primary market prices de-
clined i per cent over the week
ended September 18. 1t said the
index, 1857 per cent of the 1926
average, was 1875 per cent above
the pre-Korean average MAY "a
June Is, 1850 and 3.S per cent
above the level of a year ago. It
said textile products declined due
to lower prices for wool yarns and
hemp. for Southern pine boards
and flood coverings.
But higher prices were given
for natural gasoline and bitumi-
nous coal. Due to price increases
for some motor vehicles, the bu-
reau said that metals and metal
products advanced. Increases also
were registered for hides and
skins, fertilizer materials, mixed
fertilizers and inedible fats and
oils. the bureau Dointed olIt