The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Cost of Living Among Wage-Earners, by 
National Industrial Conference Board

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org


Title: The Cost of Living Among Wage-Earners
       Fall River, Massachusetts, October, 1919, Research Report
              Number 22, November, 1919

Author: National Industrial Conference Board

Release Date: March 18, 2008 [EBook #24868]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COST OF LIVING AMONG WAGE-EARNERS ***




Produced by Anca Sabine Dumitrescu, Brian Magee, Clog and
the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
https://www.pgdp.net

National Industrial Conference Board

15 BEACON STREET, BOSTON, MASS.

BRANCH OFFICE

724 SOUTHERN BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE National Industrial Conference Board is a co-operative body composed of representatives of national and state industrial associations, and closely allied engineering societies of a national character, and is organized to provide a clearing house of information, a forum for constructive discussion, and machinery for co-operative action on matters that vitally affect the industrial development of the nation.

MEMBERSHIP

• American Cotton Manufacturers' Association
• American Hardware Manufacturers' Association
• American Paper and Pulp Association
• Electrical Manufacturers' Club
• Institute of Makers of Explosives
• Manufacturing Chemists' Association of the U.S.
• National Association of Cotton Manufacturers
• National Association of Finishers of Cotton Fabrics
• National Association of Manufacturers
• National Association of Wool Manufacturers
• National Automobile Chamber of Commerce
• National Boot and Shoe Manufacturers' Association
• National Council for Industrial Defense
• National Electric Light Association
• National Erectors' Association
• National Founders' Association
• National Implement and Vehicle Association
• National Metal Trades Association
• Rubber Association of America, Inc.
• Silk Association of America
• The Railway Car Manufacturers' Association
• United Typothetæ of America

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

• Associated Industries of Massachusetts
• Associated Manufacturers and Merchants of New York State
• Illinois Manufacturers' Association
• Manufacturers' Association of Connecticut, Inc.

THE COST OF LIVING AMONG
WAGE-EARNERS

FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS
OCTOBER, 1919

Research Report Number 22
November, 1919

Copyright 1919

National Industrial Conference Board
15 Beacon Street
Boston, Mass.

CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES

Foreword

THE accompanying study of the cost of living among wage-earners in Fall River, Massachusetts, aims to establish the cost of maintaining a wage-earner's family at a minimum but reasonable standard of living in this textile manufacturing center; also the cost of maintaining such a family at a somewhat better standard.

The Board has already made several broad surveys of changes in the cost of living in American wage-earning communities since the outbreak of the World War in July, 1914. These cover the entire country and are designed to bring out the extent of change during the periods studied, not the actual cost of living. The results of the present investigation in Fall River, made independently of these broader surveys, throw an interesting sidelight on the wider studies and also permit of a valuable check on them.

It is intended to make similar intensive studies from time to time in other representative industrial communities.

The Cost of Living Among Wage-Earners

Fall River, Massachusetts

October, 1919

Purpose of the Investigation

The following report summarizes the results of a study undertaken to determine the cost of maintaining a minimum American standard of living in Fall River, Massachusetts, in October, 1919, and also the cost of maintaining a somewhat more liberal standard. At the same time, an attempt was made to ascertain the increase in the cost of living at identical standards during the five-year period beginning with October, 1914.

Method

For the purpose of this study, the cost of living was estimated with reference to the needs of a man, his wife and three children under fourteen years of age. No attempt was made to secure family budgets from representative wage-earners. Instead, the amount of food, clothing, fuel, heat, light and other items needed to meet the requirements of a decent standard of living was carefully estimated on the basis of several budget studies made by other authorities, and prices of these various items were obtained. Thus, while the final estimate of the money cost of maintaining a definite standard of living is not based on actual family expenditures, but rather is a hypothetical budget designed to maintain a hypothetical family at a specified standard, it should closely approximate the true conditions. In practice, expenditures for the different items in the budget may and undoubtedly will vary considerably to meet the needs or tastes of individual families, but although the sums allowed for the total cost of living may be distributed in a large variety of ways, the averages given are as nearly representative as any that can be reached. It should always be borne in mind, however, that the figures are averages, even though they include a large variety of data.

The investigation covered a period of one week in October, 1919. A study was made of available statistical data relating to Fall River, and various sections or "villages" of the city were visited to obtain a picture of the home surroundings of the people. The latter were observed on the street, as purchasers in stores, at work in the mills, at a dance for women wage-earners, and, in several instances, in their own homes.

Visits were made to the headquarters of the various social and community agencies of the city, from which much valuable information on the cost and standard of living was secured.¹ To obtain the cost of the various items entering into the family budget and the increases in cost over a five-year period, figures were collected from retail food and clothing stores, coal dealers, and other corporations, associations and individuals in close touch with the local situation.

Fall River and its People

The population of Fall River in 1915 was approximately 125,000, of whom 75,000 were native born and 50,000 foreign born. A large percentage of the native born are of foreign parentage. French Canadians and Portuguese are the leading foreign nationalities and are represented in approximately equal numbers. Together they comprise over half the foreign-born population. The English are next most important in numbers, approximately 10,000. Over 4,000 were born in Ireland, over 3,000 are Poles and some 2,000 are Russians, the majority of the latter undoubtedly Jews.

The people originally settled in neighborhood groups of a single nationality rather than around the particular mills in which they were employed. There are, in fact, ten different villages, so called, into which Fall River outside of the center may be said to be divided. The nationalistic character of these villages, however, is now to some extent breaking up, owing to decreased immigration, the Americanizing effect of the war, and the efforts of the Immigrant Aid Committee and other local social agencies, so that French, Portuguese, Irish and other foreign nationalities are coming in closer contact one with another.

Families in Fall River often are large; the French Canadian and Portuguese not infrequently have eight or more children, and sometimes 12 or 15. This means that in many families there is inevitably a period of poverty before the children become old enough to work; this is often partially relieved by the employment of the mother. When, however, the children begin to go into the mills, a considerable increase in income takes place very rapidly.

The most important industry in Fall River is the manufacture of cotton cloth. There are in the city 111 cotton mills and an additional number of industries directly allied to cotton manufacturing. Retail selling is confined, with the exception of two or three large food stores and three or four department stores, largely to small neighborhood stores, the proprietors of which are of the same nationality as the people to whose trade they cater, or, in the case of specialty clothing stores, Jews.

Cost of Living in October, 1919

Food.  To obtain the average cost of food, several budgets including articles sufficient for a week's supply for a family of man, wife and three children were used as a basis. From these were constructed food budgets designed to meet the requirements of a minimum standard and of one slightly above the minimum. Prices were collected from four of the large down-town stores, from branches of two different chain stores, one of them represented by 21 separate branches, and from various neighborhood grocery stores: one Polish, one Portuguese and two French. When there was more than one quality of an article the price used was the lowest consistent with what appeared to be good value. The quotations collected for each article were averaged and are given in Tables 1 and 2.

TABLE 1: MINIMUM FOOD BUDGET FOR A WEEK FOR A MAN, WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE, FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, OCTOBER, 1919

(National Industrial Conference Board)

From the food budget itemized in Table 1, which must be regarded as a minimum, it appears that the least that can be allowed for food for a man, wife and three children under fourteen years of age in Fall River in October, 1919, is $11 a week.

TABLE 2: MORE LIBERAL WEEKLY FOOD BUDGET FOR A MAN, WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE IN FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, OCTOBER, 1919

(National Industrial Conference Board)

The more liberal food budget, covering a week's supply for five persons, worked out in co-operation with the visiting housekeeper of the League for Community Welfare of Fall River and given in Table 2, was planned so as to include foods in particular demand among wage-earning families. From this it appears that to feed such a family according to a standard somewhat above the minimum, $12.15 a week would be required.

These food budgets have been arranged with due consideration for food values and variety, although of course the tastes of many families might require a somewhat different combination of articles. Nevertheless it is probable that an adequate supply of food for an average family of five could be purchased in Fall River in October, 1919, for $11 per week, while $12.15 is sufficient to insure a somewhat more liberal diet. This would mean an annual expenditure for food of $572 for the minimum standard and $631.80 for the more liberal standard.

Shelter. For information as to rents, the social agencies of Fall River, the Real Estate Owners' Association, the Renting Department of the Chamber of Commerce, individual renting agencies and landlords were consulted. A number of rented houses also were visited.

The ordinary tenement in Fall River contains from three to five rooms with toilet, and the rents range from $1.25 to $4 per week. For the larger sum, a bath would be included. There are very few heated apartment houses and rents for these would be more than $20 a month. The majority of wage-earners probably pay between $1.75 and $3 per week and do not have a bath. The demand for the larger apartments with baths far exceeds the supply. Many families are forced to live in inferior and crowded quarters at the present time because no others are to be obtained.

Two dollars twenty-five cents a week or $117 a year for four rooms and toilet may be set as a minimum figure for housing a family of five in Fall River, according to existing conditions. Three dollars fifty cents a week or $182 a year will secure somewhat better accommodations.

Clothing. To obtain the cost of clothing for a family of five, budgets were constructed containing the different articles which probably would be purchased in the course of a year and prices were collected from a number of stores which cater to wage-earners. Quotations were secured for comparatively low-priced but standard grades of goods and these were averaged to obtain the prices given in Table 3. In deciding on the quantity of each article required, the quality of the goods was taken into account. In the case of articles which would not necessarily be replaced every year, what was considered to be a proper fraction of the cost in October, 1919, is given.

TABLE 3: COST OF A LIBERAL ALLOWANCE OF CLOTHING FOR A YEAR FOR A MAN, WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE IN FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, AT PRICES PREVAILING IN OCTOBER, 1919

(National Industrial Conference Board)

CHILDREN'S BUDGETS

This clothing allowance for a family of five persons would cost $322.25 a year at prices prevailing in Fall River in October, 1919. While the prices given are comparatively low and the quantity allowed is not excessive, clothing may be purchased for less and the requirements of decency and comfort at an American standard may be met with fewer articles. As a matter of fact, a large proportion of families in Fall River do not spend so much as this for clothing, since many of them make certain garments at home or buy them at bargain prices, with a material reduction in cost. For this reason, the clothing budget as given must be regarded as ample rather than as a minimum. To allow for the different means by which the cost of clothing may be reduced, approximately 25% was deducted, bringing the annual minimum cost of an American standard of clothing in Fall River, according to prices prevailing in October, 1919, to $243.36.

Fuel, heat and light. The average wage-earning family in Fall River burns about three tons of coal per season. This provides fuel for a kitchen range and usually for one other stove. Prices of coal quoted by three dealers were as follows: Chestnut, $13.75, $13.75, $13.00; stove, $14.00, $14.00, $12.75.

This means an average annual expenditure of approximately $40.63 for the grade of coal generally bought.

Many families, however, buy their coal in small lots from the neighborhood stores, which would make the total annual cost of fuel somewhat higher, provided the same amount were purchased. For this reason, and to allow for a minimum amount of kindling wood, it has been estimated that at least $45 per year would be required for fuel at the prices prevailing in October, 1919.²

Gas is commonly used for lighting. The local gas company reported that there were 27,236 meters in use in the city, or one meter to every 4.5 persons. A gas stove is in practically every wage-earner's home. The present price of gas is $1.05 net per thousand cubic feet. The average monthly gas bill for wage-earners is said by the company to be about $1.90 net. Electricity is burned for lighting purposes in many of the newer tenements even when the rent is low, and the average bill for wage-earners for electricity is about $1 per month. In recognition of the fact that some families burn gas for cooking only and have an additional expenditure for electric light, the yearly cost of gas and electricity together is estimated at $25.20 in 1919.

The average annual cost of fuel, heat and light combined in Fall River at prices prevailing in October, 1919, may therefore be placed at $70.20, or $1.35 per week. For families having larger homes the cost of these items would be somewhat greater. To allow for this, the expenditure for fuel, heat and light has been increased somewhat in the more liberal budget, making the annual cost of this item $84.25, or $1.62 per week.

Sundries. From information received from the local street railway company, it appears that not over 25% of the mill operatives use the street cars in going to and from work. The single fare is ten cents, but a commutation ticket plan was put into operation in September, 1919, by which 50 rides could be obtained for $3 provided the ticket was used within a month. It has been found, however, that many of the more poorly paid wage-earners are not able to spend $3 at one time for car tickets and the street car company reported that, in practice, the tickets were sold mainly to those earning above $25 a week. Some of the mills have now arranged to sell the $3 tickets to their employees on the instalment plan.

The chief form of amusement in Fall River is moving pictures. There are a dozen houses in the city to which admission is usually 15 cents, or 17 cents with the war tax. Children are admitted to the smaller houses on Saturday afternoons for six cents. The patronage is large. One or two of the theaters frequently offer vaudeville shows and plays for which prices of admission range as high as $2. There are also a number of public dance halls, to which admission is 25 cents.

Doctors' fees, by recent vote of the local medical society, are $2 for an office call and $3 for a house visit.

Almost all wage-earners in Fall River carry burial or life insurance and the insurance business is said to be thriving. The Philanthropic Burial Society alone, a local organization which has extended its activities to New Bedford and elsewhere, has a membership of 30,000 in Fall River. This society pays a funeral benefit of $125 in return for monthly dues of 15 cents to 30 cents. It was the belief of the secretary of the society that most of its policy-holders were insured in other organizations also. The Metropolitan and Prudential Life Insurance Companies have offices in Fall River and together they insure 75,000 persons. Their policy-holders make payments averaging about 10 cents per week. In addition, Fall River has 73 lodges of various fraternal organizations for men, many of which provide insurance benefits for their members. Many of the mills are reported to be carrying life insurance policies for their employees valued at from $500 to $1,000. A contributory system of cash benefits for sickness also obtains in some of the mills.

The price of daily newspapers, French and English, is two cents and the Boston Sunday paper, which is extensively read, is seven cents.

A considerable proportion of the amount spent for sundries apparently goes to the support of the church. The city is about 80% Roman Catholic. There are a large number of Roman Catholic churches, 17 parochial elementary schools, a Roman Catholic academy and a Roman Catholic commercial school. These schools are maintained chiefly by the French and Irish. The French parochial schools require a payment of 50 cents per month per child and the child furnishes his own books. The Irish Roman Catholic schools on the other hand are supported through contributions to the church itself and tuition and books are free to any child in the parish. While of course public schools are provided in the city, about one-third of the children attend the parochial schools.

It is practically impossible to estimate the amount spent for each separate item in the sundries group, but in Table 4 is given an approximation of expenses in this division of the budget. Since expenditures for sundries vary widely as between different families, the total allowed may be spent in a large variety of ways. It is believed, however, that $5.10 per week, or $265.20 per year, for the minimum budget is sufficient; the more liberal allowance is $6.80 per week or $353.60 per year.

TABLE 4: AVERAGE COST OF SUNDRIES IN FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, OCTOBER, 1919

(National Industrial Conference Board)

The complete budget. In Table 5 have been combined the figures given for the cost of a year's allowance of each of the separate items entering into the average family budget. From this it appears that at least $1,267.76 per year is necessary to maintain a family of five persons at an American standard of living in Fall River, Massachusetts, on the basis of prices prevailing in October, 1919. This would require an income of $24.38 per week the year round.

In order to maintain life at a somewhat more comfortable standard, through allowing for slightly more liberal expenditures, $1,573.90 per year will be necessary, or a steady income of $30.27 per week.

In neither of these estimates is any provision made for savings other than insurance. It should be noted, however, that while allowance has been made in the budget for medical care, recreation and insurance, these are to a certain extent provided free if operatives care to avail themselves of the facilities offered. Thus, life insurance premiums are paid by many of the mills; social activities are supported by a few and a nursing service by some. Although allowance for parochial schools is included in the budget, there are good public schools available in the city without cost. Taking these circumstances into account the estimates of the sums needed to maintain an American standard of living in Fall River in October, 1919, are as representative as any which can be reached.

These sums provide for the maintenance of a family of five at an American standard of living, where the father is the sole wage-earner. It should be recognized, however, that the foreign families are frequently larger and that in many of them there are several wage-earners. Their standard of living, on the other hand, is intrinsically lower.

These averages may be compared with the results of an investigation made by a totally different method by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics in Fall River in 1918 when the average cost of living of 158 families earning roughly from $900 to $2,500 per year was found to be $1,320.84.³ For 12 of these families, yearly expenses averaged $826.23; for 56, they were $1,058.30; for 48, they were $1,292.54. Thus, nearly three-quarters of the families were spending about the same amount or less than that determined by the National Industrial Conference Board to represent the minimum cost of living. Making allowance for increases in cost since the Bureau's study was made, the results of the two investigations are seen to be in substantial agreement.

TABLE 5: AVERAGE COST OF LIVING FOR A MAN, WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE IN FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS, OCTOBER, 1919

(National Industrial Conference Board)

Increase in the Cost of Living Since 1914

Food.  It was difficult to compare the cost of food in Fall River in October, 1919, with the cost in October, 1914, since no stores could be found in the city from which prices of all articles at these two dates could be secured. One store, however, for years has published a "fair price-list" in one of the daily papers, covering most articles of food except fresh meat and vegetables. It was possible to compare prices quoted in this list in October, 1919, with those in October, 1914. Prices of meats were obtained from advertisements of certain stores in 1914 and compared with prices prevailing at the same stores in 1919.

From these lists and advertisements, two 1914 food budgets were constructed and compared with the cost of the same articles in 1919. The articles of food included were as nearly as possible the same as those used in Tables 1 and 2.⁴ The less expensive budget was found to have increased 77%, and the more liberal budget 82% during the five-year period. An estimate of 80% as the increase in the cost of food is therefore representative. This compares with an average advance of 89% up to August, 1919, on the basis of prices in 1913, as shown by the retail food price index numbers of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.⁵ August, 1919, prices of food were the highest ever recorded by the Bureau and there has been a decline of several points since that time.

Shelter. Figures and estimates regarding increases in rents were secured from the same agencies which supplied current prices of shelter. From these, it appears that, in general, rents of the better houses had increased most. Since about 1,500 of the very poorest tenements were reported to be vacant, it has been rather difficult to raise the rents of this class of property. The Real Estate Owners' Association voted to increase all rents 20% beginning in August, 1919, and the secretary of the association reported that landlords had very generally put this increase into effect. One owner controlling a large amount of tenement property, who was consulted, had not done so. Another, however, reported increases in rents for his property of somewhat more than 20% in the five-year period ending October, 1919. Individual instances were given of increases in rents up to 40% in some cases. A renting agency set the advance at from 10% to 30%, the larger increase being for the better property.

From these various estimates, it would appear that an increase of 15% would be a fair allowance for the advance in rent of a tenement previously renting for $1.50 or $2 a week, and 20% for a tenement renting for over $2. The tendency of rents in Fall River is distinctly upward at the present time.

Clothing. For men's and women's clothing, prices were collected for the various articles of the budget which had been selling at a specified price in October, 1914. The October, 1919, quotations from the various stores were averaged and the total cost of all items was then compared with the cost of the same articles in 1914. This comparison shows an increase of 103% for men's clothing and 100% for women's. These increases were found to be applicable to children's clothing also. It may be said, therefore, that the cost of ready-made clothing in Fall River increased 102% between October, 1914, and October, 1919. When clothing is made at home, however, the increase has undoubtedly been greater, owing to the fact that prices of yard goods have advanced more than prices of made up garments, although as already indicated, the absolute cost is less. To allow for this, the increase in cost of the minimum clothing budget has been placed at 125%.

Fuel, heat and light. The same method of averaging prices of chestnut and stove coal by dealers was followed for October, 1914, as for October, 1919. The resultant figures show the average cost of three tons of coal at the earlier date to have been $26. The present cost, $40.63, is 56% more than this. If the coal was bought in less than ton lots the percentage of increase was practically the same.

Gas which in 1919 cost $1.05 per thousand cubic feet net cost 80 cents net in October, 1914. This represents an increase of 31%. Electricity has advanced from nine cents to ten cents per kilowatt hour, or 11%.

Combining the cost of fuel, heat and light in 1914 and 1919, it is found that the average increase for the five-year period was 46%.

Sundries. Six tickets for car rides could be purchased for 25 cents in 1914, whereas the present price is 10 cents a single ride, an increase of 140%. If, however, commutation tickets are purchased, the increase is 44%.

The three large down-town moving picture houses have not increased their prices since 1914, except by the amount of the war tax, but there has been an increase of 10 cents to 15 cents (17 cents with the war tax) in some, at least, of the neighborhood theaters.

Doctors' fees have increased 100%.

Although insurance premiums in themselves have not advanced, people have taken out more and larger policies to cover the increased cost of burial and relief. The daily papers have not increased in price, but the Boston Sunday paper, which is now seven cents, was six cents in 1914.

If the increases for the separate sundries items are combined on the basis of the distribution of items within the sundries group, as noted above, the total advance in the cost of sundries between October, 1914, and October, 1919, was 75% for the minimum budget and 74% for the more liberal budget.

TABLE 6: AVERAGE INCREASE BETWEEN OCTOBER, 1914, AND OCTOBER, 1919, IN THE COST OF LIVING FOR A MAN, WIFE, AND THREE CHILDREN UNDER FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE IN FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS

(National Industrial Conference Board)

The complete budget. In Table 6 are summarized the percentages of increase between October, 1914, and October, 1919, for the separate budget items and for all items combined, for a family of man, wife and three children under fourteen years of age.⁶ From this it appears that the cost of living at a minimum standard increased 73% between 1914 and 1919. The more liberal budget was 74% higher in 1919 than in 1914.⁷

It should be pointed out, however, that these increases are estimated on the basis of the maintenance of an identical standard in 1914 and 1919. As a matter of fact, standards of living have changed greatly within the last five years. On the one hand, there have been substitutions as prices have mounted, and on the other, wage increases greater than advances in the cost of living have in many instances enabled families to buy more and better goods than ever before. It is not possible to say which influence has been the more important.

Conclusion

From the results of this brief survey of the cost of living among mill operatives in Fall River, it appears that to maintain a family consisting of man, wife and three children under fourteen years of age, at a minimum American standard of living but without any allowance for savings, $1,267.76 per year will be required, or a steady income of $24.38 per week. The distribution of expenses among the different budget items is:

To maintain a somewhat more comfortable standard, again without specific allowance for savings, $1,573.90 per year will be necessary or a steady income of $30.27 per week. The cost by separate items is:

Between October, 1914, and October, 1919, the cost of living at a minimum standard in Fall River increased 73% and at a more liberal standard, 74%, the advance for the separate items being as follows:

Publications
of the
National Industrial Conference Board

15 Beacon Street, Boston, Mass.

• Research Report No. 1. Workmen's Compensation Acts in the United States—The Legal Phase. 60 pages. April, 1917. Revised, August, 1919. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 2. Analysis of British Wartime Reports on Hours of Work As Related To Output and Fatigue. 58 pages. November, 1917. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 3. Strikes in American Industry in Wartime. 20 pages. March, 1918. 50 cents.
• Research Report No. 4. Hours of Work As Related To Output and Health Of Workers—Cotton Manufacturing. 64 pages. March, 1918. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 5. The Canadian Industrial Disputes Investigation Act. 28 pages. April, 1918. 50 cents.
• Research Report No. 6. Sickness Insurance Or Sickness Prevention? 24 pages. May, 1918. 50 cents.
• Research Report No. 7. Hours of Work As Related To Output and Health of Workers—Boot and Shoe Industry. 76 pages. June, 1918. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 8. Wartime Employment of Women in the Metal Trades. 80 pages. July, 1918. $1.00
• Research Report No. 9. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living—July, 1914, To June, 1918. 82 pages. August, 1918. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 10. Arbitration and Wage-Fixing in Australia. 52 pages. October, 1918. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 11. The Eight-Hour Day Defined. 12 pages. December, 1918. 50 cents.
• Research Report No. 12. Hours of Work As Related To Output and Health Of Workers—Wool Manufacturing. 69 pages. December, 1918. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 13. Rest Periods for Industrial Workers. 55 pages. January, 1919. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 14. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living—July, 1914, To November, 1918. 33 pages. February, 1919. 75 cents.
• Research Report No. 15. Problems of Industrial Readjustment in the United States. 58 pages. February, 1919. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 16. Hours of Work As Related To Output and Health of Workers—Silk Manufacturing. 54 pages. March, 1919. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 17. Wartime Changes in the Cost of Living—July, 1914, To March, 1919. 31 pages. May, 1919. 75 cents.
• Research Report No. 18. Hours of Work As Related To Output and Health Of Workers—Metal Manufacturing Industries. 62 pages. July, 1919. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 19. Changes in the Cost of Living—July, 1914, To July, 1919, 31 pages. September, 1919.75 cents.
• Research Report. No. 20. Wartime Changes in Wages—(September, 1914,—March, 1919). 128 pages. September, 1919. $1.50.
• Research Report No. 21. Works Councils in the United States. 135 pages. October, 1919. $1.50.
• Research Report No. 22. The Cost of Living Among Wage-earners—Fall River, Massachusetts, October, 1919. 18 pages. November, 1919. 50 cents.
• Research Report No. 23. Conciliation and Arbitration in New Zealand. 46 pages. December, 1919. $1.00.
• Research Report No. 24. The Cost of Living Among Wage-earners—Lawrence, Massachusetts, November, 1919. 21 pages. December, 1919. 50 cents.
• Research Report No. 25. Changes in the Cost of Living—July, 1914, To November, 1919. 24 pages. December, 1919. 75 cents.
• Research Report No. 26. A Works Council Manual. 32 Pages. February, 1920. $1.00.

RESEARCH REPORTS IN PREPARATION

• Conciliation and Arbitration in France. Federal and State Agencies of Conciliation and Arbitration in the United States.
• Hours of Work As Related To Output and Health of Workers.
  Summary of Research Reports Nos. 4, 7, 12, 16 and 18, with additional material.
• Extent and Causes of Absence Among Industrial Workers.

INDUSTRIAL NEWS SURVEY

Important industrial news in concise form.

Footnotes

¹ The following organizations and individuals were consulted: Chamber of Commerce, Association for Community Welfare, King Philip Settlement, Instructive District Nursing Association, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Women's Union, Boy Scouts, Immigrant Aid Society, Fall River Cotton Manufacturers' Association, President of the Textile Council, Superintendent of Schools, superintendent of one of the mills, physician in charge of the city clinics for children, a Roman Catholic priest, mill operatives.

² Some of the mills were reported to be selling coal to their employees in small quantities at low prices.

³ Monthly Labor Review, May, 1919, p. 154.

⁴ In a few cases, owing to lack of October, 1914, quotations, it was necessary to make substitutions.

⁵ Monthly Labor Review, October, 1919, p. 76.

⁶ The allocations of budget items in Fall River in 1914, as determined by the Board's investigation, do not differ greatly from the standard adopted for the Board's study of changes in the cost of living for the country as a whole, as is shown in the tabulation below. Such differences as occurred may be accounted for by the fact that rents in Fall River are lower than the average for the country as a whole. The differences in allocations in 1919 are accounted for by the differences in percentages of increase of the various budget items. In any locality at any time, a minimum budget would show a larger proportion of the income spent for food and a smaller proportion for sundries, than would a somewhat more liberal budget.

⁷ It is interesting to compare the actual cost of maintaining these two standards in 1914 with that determined by a special federal investigation in 1908. According to the latter, it was estimated that $731.64 per year would be required to maintain a fair standard by English, Irish and French Canadian families, and $690.60 by Portuguese, Polish and Italian families. A minimum of existence budget, based on the food allowance of the federal prison at Atlanta, Ga., and with totally inadequate clothing, required at that time only $484.41 per year for five people. (United States, 61st Congress, 2d Session, Document No. 645, Family Budgets of Typical Cotton Mill Workers, pp. 233-245.) The results of the Board's study show that if the cost of maintaining a minimum standard of living has increased 73% since 1914, the sum necessary to maintain it at that time would have been $732.81, exclusive of savings. The cost of maintaining the more liberal standard on the same basis in 1914, allowing for a 74% increase since then, would have been $904.54.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Cost of Living Among Wage-Earners, by 
National Industrial Conference Board

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COST OF LIVING AMONG WAGE-EARNERS ***

***** This file should be named 24868-h.htm or 24868-h.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
        https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/8/6/24868/

Produced by Anca Sabine Dumitrescu, Brian Magee, Clog and
the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at
https://www.pgdp.net


Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties.  Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.



*** START: FULL LICENSE ***

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
https://gutenberg.org/license).


Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works

1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B.  "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark.  It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.  See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.

1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.

1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.

1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.

1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that

- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
     address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."

- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
     License.  You must require such a user to return or
     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
     Project Gutenberg-tm works.

- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
     of receipt of the work.

- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.

1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.

1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.


Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm

Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org.


Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service.  The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541.  Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
https://pglaf.org/fundraising.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.

The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
[email protected].  Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
page at https://pglaf.org

For additional contact information:
     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
     Chief Executive and Director
     [email protected]


Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit https://pglaf.org

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
donations.  To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate


Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.


Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.


Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:

     https://www.gutenberg.org

This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.