THE LIBRARY OF THE NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR RELATIONS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924002407488 National Industrial Conference Board IS 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 in- dustrial 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 ma- chinery for co-operative action on matters that vitally affect the industrial development of the nation. Frederick P. Fish Chairman Magnus W. Alexander Managing Director 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 op 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 Typothet^ of America ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP Associated Industries of Massachusetts Associated Manufacturers and Merchants OF New York State Illinois Manufacturers' Association Manufacturers' Association of Connecticut, Inc. CHANGES IN THE COST OF LIVING July, 19 14 — March, 1920 RESEARCH Report Number 28 May, 1920 Copyright 19i PROPERTY OF LIBRARY NEW YOBK STATE SCHOOL INDl'STniAL m LABOR BELATIONS CORNELL UNIVERSITY National Industrial Conference Board » ly ij Beacon Street Boston, Mass. CONTENTS PAGE Foreword . vii Introduction 1 I. Food 3 II. Shelter 6 III. Clothing 11 Yard Goods 13 Hosiery and Underwear 14 Outer Wear and Furnishings 14 Clothing Budgets 16 IV. Fuel, Heat and Light 18 Fuel 18 Light 19 V. Sundries . ... 21 VI. The Complete Budget 22 Hi LIST OF TABLES PAGE Table 1: Relative Retail Prices of Food in the United States, January 15, 1913, to March 15, 1920, Inclusive 3 Table 2: Estimated Average Changes in Rents Paid by Wage- Earners in Specified Cities, between July, 1914, and March, 1920, and between November, 1919, and March, 1920, by Percentage Groups within Which Rent Increases Fall . 7 Table 3: Average Retail Prices of Selected Yard Goods and Wearing Apparel in March, 1920, and Percentages of In- crease in Price between July, 1914, and March, 1920, and between November, 1919, and March, 1920 . . 12 Table 4: Trial Budgets of Clothing for a Man and His Wife for One Year, Based on Comparative Prices in July, 1914, March, 1919, November, 1919, and March, 1920 17 Table 5: Percentages of Increase between July, 1914, and March, 1920, and between November, 1919, and March, 1920, in the Retail Price of Coal in Ton Lots for Doniestic Use . . 18 Table 6: Percentages of Increase between July, 1914, and March, 1920, in the Cost of Living in Average American Communities, by Separate Budget Items . 22 Table 7: Percentages of Increase in the Cost of Living in Average American Communities, between July, 1914, and March, 1920, by Separate Budget Items 23 Foreword 'T^HIS is the sixth report issued by the National Indus- trial Conference Board on changes in the cost of living in the United States. In it are presented estimates of the increase in the cost of the different items entering into the average family budget, and of all items combined, between July, 1914, and March, 1920. The figures given are general averages based on a wide study of conditions in the country as a whole, and as such are not to be applied indiscriminately to specific localities. The estimates for the country as a whole may be so modified, however, as to allow for possible local deviations from the average change in the cost of any of the separate items, and thus may be applied locally. o u a a a n « - o 01 a m a a IB O o n a o N — 2? ®! fe; :::: S: T -■S I "^ 1 -« . c .;,. ( b 3;i > I-- o '=::;- ■ . s. . J ;+.... i.^, g ■::::■■::::: \ 1* ■■■.. > -L > -^ -L ,. th "« " ., M v~ ^ ,,_ + 1 ' 1^1 • 1 ' ^ o * ■ . i-lL \ ^- X i. 5. n? - - ..-^ " ^'ij ~ \: '. _ . .- ^ ^ U \ ' -^- -■ -■ ■- _ ^in:j:__..Si,.3; ... ._-_ ^ fc ::::: " :"::::: :::::::: : ::ji:_^'l::::: :rj;::;:^-: -■- ^- -_ > o ■a ' " 's :: . 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M -1 «--- ^ J ',L 4 Ktn^h I ■ \ i ^--- M u in ^ is -if 0. r-t ^ i b ^ H •' ' • ■ 2 ^. * -_-fT CJ . ....§ ; r % T y ■^ ■* "" t ::] a o 10 a n a o N - o a o m a n a a 4 n Changes in the Cost of Living July, 1914— March, 1920 INTRODUCTION This report on changes in the cost of living in the United States is the sixth in a series on that subject issued by the National Industrial Conference Board.^ The chart on the opposite page shows graphically the changes, at different periods, in the retail cost of the five major items entering into the family budget, and of all items combined, as set forth in this and the five earlier reports.^ The present study shows in detail such changes as have oc- curred between July, 1914, and March, 1920, and between November, 1919, and March, 1920. It will be seen from the chart that the cost of living rose 94.8% from July, 1914, to March, 1920. The increase since November, 1919, was 6.9%. The most rapid price advance since November was for clothing, 18%; rent increased 8% and the cost of food and of sundries, 4.2% and 4.6%, respectively. The cost of fuel, heat and light showed comparatively little change in the four months' period. As in earlier reports on the cost of living made by the Board, the information on which the estimates were based was obtained from a large number of retail dealers in clothing and fuel, and from brokers and others in close touch with the real estate situation in representative cities in all sections of the United States. The retail food price index numbers of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics were used as indicative of changes in the cost of food. The retail price level of July, 1914, was taken as the base from which subsequent changes were calculated. The increase for each major item or division of the budget was weighted according to the importance of that item 1 National Industrial Conference Board. Research Reports Nos. 9, 14, 15, 19, 25. ' For figures on which this chart is based, see p. 23. 1 in the budget as a whole in 1914, and the increases thus combined give the total advance in the cost of living. So far as it was possible to do so, the increase was esti- mated with reference to maintaining the same standard of living throughout the period. While, of course, families differ somewhat as to the proportion of their incomes spent for the several items in the budget, any reasonable distribution based on pre-war standards and the same percentages of increase, would show practically the same percentage of increase for the budget as a whole as that given here. It should be re- membered, however, that conditions in any specific locality may in some instances be slightly unrepresenta- tive, as, for example, in communities where very large or very small rent increases have occurred. Local rates for coal and light, street-car fares and the costs of other sun- dries items differ also, but in combining them in the total budget such discrepancies tend to disappear unless they are very unusual. Nevertheless, in applying to any particular community the general increase in the cost of living for the country as a whole, local conditions should always be taken into account. FOOD Food prices in March, 1920, were 100% higher than the average before the war, according to the retail food price index numbers of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quotations on which this estimate is based were received from hundreds of representative dealers in 51 important cities throughout the country. In Table 1 are given the complete series of relative prices from January 15, 1913, to March 15, 1920, inclusive.^ Average prices in the year 1913 are taken as 100 and average prices each month are shown as percentages of this base price. TABLE I : RELATIVE RETAIL PRICES OF FOOD IN THE UNITED STATES, JANUARY I5, I9I3, TO MARCH I5, I92O, IN- CLUSIVE Average price for the year 1913 = 100 (United States Bureau of Labor Statistics) Month 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 L920 Average for the year 100 102 101 114 146 168 186 January 98 104 103 107 128 160 185 201 February 97 101 101 106 133 161 172 200 March 97 99 98 107 133 154 175 200 April 98 97 99 109 145 154 182 May 97 98 100 109 151 158 185 June 98 99 100 112 152 162 184 July . 100 102 100 111 146 167 190 August 101 107 100 113 149 171 192 September 102 107 101 118 153 178 188 October 104 105 103 121 157 181 188 November . 105 105 104 126 155 183 192 December 104 105 105 126 157 187 197 From the figures in Table 1 it appears that the highest average retail food prices since the war began were reached in January, 1920, and that the decline in February 1 Monthly Labor Review, March, 1920, pp. 36-37. Index numbers for February and March were furnished by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics in advance of publication in the Labor Review. 3 and March was only six-tenths of one per cent. Between November, 1919, and March, 1920, the increase was 4.2%; between July, 1919, and March, 1920, it was 5.3%. During the year from March, 1919, to March, 1920, food prices in the country as a whole advanced 14%. In Chicago and Springfield, 111., however, a rise of 20% occurred; the next largest increase was 19% in Detroit, Mich. ; in 46 out of 50 cities an increase of 10% or more was reported in this period. Although food prices in the country as a whole were 100% higher in March, 1920, than they had been in 1913, 18 out of 39 cities reported greater increases. These were Baltimore, Md. and Fall River, Mass., 101% each; Birmingham, Ala., Scranton, Pa. and Washington, D.C., 102% each; Memphis, Tenn., 103%; Buffalo, N. Y. and Providence, R. I., 104% each; Cleveland, Ohio and Kansas City, Mo., 105% each; Chicago, 111., Omaha, Neb. and Milwaukee, Wis., 107% each; Minneapolis, Minn, and Richmond, Va., 108% each; Charleston, S. C, 109%; Detroit, Mich, and St. Louis, Mo., 111% each. During the year March, 1919, to March, 1920, 28 of the 43 articles for which prices were secured on both dates increased as follows: potatoes, 134%; sugar, 76%; cab- bage, 64%; raisins, 61%; onions, 57%; rice and prunes, 37% each; coffee, 31%; rolled oats, 24%; flour and cream of wheat, 18% each; salmon and oranges, 17% each; eggs, 15%; bread, 14%; butter, crisco and bananas, 13% each; fresh milk, 12%; hens and oleomar- garine, 11% each; corn meal, 10%; cheese, 6%; lamb and macaroni, 5% each; tea, 4%; nut margarine, 2%; pork chops, 1%. Articles which decreased in price during the year were : plate beef, 18%; chuck roast, 12%; bacon and lard, 9% each; canned tomatoes, 8%; baked beans, 7%; round steak and navy beans, 5% each; rib roast and canned corn, 4% each; sirloin steak,2%; and evaporated milk,l%. The average price of ham decreased less than five-tenths of one per cent. There was no change in the price of corn flakes or canned peas.' For the seven-year period, March, 1913, to March, 1920, the average price of nine of the 23 articles for which prices were secured in March, 1913, increased 100% or 4 more, as follows: bread, 100%; lamb, 108%; eggs, 111%; hens, 113%; rice, 114%; corn meal, 117%; flour, 142%; sugar, 246%; and potatoes, 353%. From this enumeration of price changes of certain articles of food, it is evident that while the cost of some of the most important items, such as potatoes, sugar, flour, eggs, butter and milk, had advanced within the year, most meats had decreased in price since March, 1919. Since 1913 the average advance for all articles had been very large. II SHELTER Most cities reported a rise in rents between Novem- ber, 1919, and March, 1920, although in the majority of them the increase was small. The average advance in that period for the country as a whole is estimated to have been 8%. The total increase from July, 1914, to March, 1920, was 49% ; every city and town of over 5,000 popula- tion which furnished data reported some advance in the six-year interval. In reply to a questionnaire from the Board, rent schedules were received from 355 agencies, such as real estate boards and brokers, chambers of commerce, social organizations and individuals in close touch with housing conditions in 156 cities. These included nearly all cities in the United States having a population of 50,000 or over in 1916, and 38 smaller places. From some cities a num- ber of agencies reported; from others, mostly the smaller places, when there was only one, it was usually from the real estate board. Reports regarding rents are summarized in Table 2. The cities are grouped according to the estimated _total increase in rents between July, 1914, and March, 1920. These groups, as well as the estimated changes in rents between November, 1919, and March, 1920, mark the limits within which falls the average change; they do not represent the range for the separate cities. It should be borne in mind that the figures quoted refer to increases in the cost of low- or moderate-priced houses and apart- ments, such as are usually occupied by wage-earners. The rents of steam-heated apartments and the more expensive houses had generally advanced in greater proportions. TABLE 2: ESTIMATED AVERAGE CHANGES IN RENTS PAID BY WAGE-EARNERS IN SPECIFIED CITIES, BETWEEN JULY, I9I4, AND MARCH, I92O, AND BETWEEN NOVEMBER, I919, AND MARCH, 1920, BY PERCENTAGE GROUPS WITHIN WHICH RENT INCREASES FALL (Natipnal Industrial Conference Board) Locality Number of reports Percentage of increase, November, 1919-March, 1920 Locality Number of reports Percentage of increase, November, 1919-March, 1920 Ten cities where rents increased more than 80% between July, 1914, and March, 1920 Akron, Ohio . Appleton, Wis. Bayonne, N. J. Binghamton, N.Y. Canton, Ohio . . 11%-20%A 31%-40%c , 10% or lessi 21%-30%^ .10 .12X .15 .25 ,39 .41 .43 .47 .67 422.2 314.0 214.6 212.6 166.4 26.3 25.8 25.2 22.5 22.9 Hosiery- Men's . Women's .15 .25 .36 .69 140.0 175.2 20.4 25.5 Knit Under-wear Men's union suits Women's vests .50 .10 1.56 .33 211.6 230.0 25.8 25.0 Muslin Underwear Women's combinations . 1.00 2.43 142.5 20.3 Suits Men's . Women's . 15.00 15.00 40.47 38.43 169.8 156.2 21.8 21.7 Coats Men's . Women's 10.00 10.00 33.02 30.44 230.2 204.4 24.6 25.0 Shirts and Blouses Men's -work shirts . Men's -work shirts Men's negligee shirts Women's blouses .50 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.64 2.44 2.62 2.39 228.4 143.7 162.4 139.2 19.4 14.9 20.5 19.2 Overalls .75 2.60 247.2 17.7 Shoes Men's Women's 3.50 3.00 9.43 9.28 169.3 209.4 18.0 17.1 Gloves Men's dogskin Women's cape 1.25 1.00 3.22 3.17 157.7 217.1 22.0 25.5 Hats Men's felt ... Women's velvet . , Women's stra-vr 2.00 1.50 1.00 5.06 4.34 2.87 153.2 189.3 187.4 20.7 29.7 32.1 12 No attempt was made to compare clothing prices in different sections of the country, since previous investiga- tions had shown that geographical location as such had apparently little, if any, effect on changes in clothing prices. Nor did the data warrant analysis by separate cities. The figures given are unweighted averages for the country as a whole and are representative of most localities.^ By March, 1920, the average price of many articles in the clothing list had trebled as compared with prices pre- vailing in July, 1914. The average price of gingham was four times as high and that of percale was five times as high as prices before the war. In the four-months' period between November, 1919, and March, 1920, the average price of a number of articles increased 26% or more. They included some of the most important items in the budget such as cotton yard goods, knit underwear, and women's hosiery, coats, gloves and hats. Yard Goods Woolens. The average increases in the cost of serge, poplin and broadcloth from November, 1919, to March, 1920, were less than the increase for any other item listed except the cheaper quality of men's work shirts. Since 1914, serge which then cost $1 a yard had increased in price 196.6% by March, 1920, and was most commonly quoted at $3. Poplin and broadcloth, which were priced at $1.50 and $2, respectively, in 1914, had advanced in cost 141.3% and 163.3% in March, 1920. Although the average price of poplin was $3.62, the most frequent quo- tation was" $3.50, and the most frequent quotation for broadcloth was $5, with the average at $5.27. Cottons. Cotton yard goods continued to show the largest average advances in price of all items for which quotations were secured. Since November, 1919, not one of the five types for which the Board obtained prices showed an average increase of less than 22.5%. Percale, which in 1914 sold for 73^ cents had advanced in cost 422%, or over 100 points more than any other article listed; it was most commonly quoted at 39 cents in ' In computing average prices, fractions of one-half cent or more have been taken as adding one cent to the price; smaller fractions have been disregarded. For this reason, the average price figures and the percentage figures do not always appear to be in strict accord, since in computing the latter, exact average prices were used. 13 March, 1920. Thirty-nine cents was the most frequent price also for gingham which had sold for 10 cents a yard in 1914. The average price was 41 cents, an increase of 314%. Longcloth and Fruit of the Loom, which in 1914 brought 123^ cents and 15 cents, respectively, had ad- vanced in cost about equally, or nearly 215%. Voile, formerly priced at 25 cents a yard, was most frequently quoted at 75 cents in March, 1920, although the average increase was only 166.4%. Hosiery and Underwear Hosiery. Men's hose which originally sold for 15 cents were most frequently quoted at 35 cents a pair with the average at 36 cents, in March, 1920. This was an increase of 140% since July, 1914. The average price of women's hose selling for 25 cents in 1914 had advanced to 69 cents, an increase of 175%. There were an equal number of quotations for women's hose at 50 cents and 75 cents in March, 1920. Knit underwear. Advances of 211.6% and 230%, respectively, were reported for men's union suits selling for 50 cents and for women's vests selling for 10 cents in 1914. Each had increased in price about 25% since November, 1919. Muslin underwear. Women's combinations, which had sold for $1 in 1914, were most frequently quoted at $2.50 in March, 1920. The average price was $2.43, an advance in the cost of this item of 142.5% since July, 1914. This was one of the smallest increases reported. Outer Wear and Furnishings Suits and coats. The total advance since July, 1914, in the cost of men's suits and coats was greater than that of women's suits and coats, although the increase since November, 1919, was practically the same. The March, 1920, prices of these garments varied widely. Both men's and women's suits selling for $15 in 1914 most frequently brought $35 in March, 1920, but there were many quota- tions higher than this so that the average prices were $40.47 and $38.43, respectively. Men's coats which were $10 in 1914 showed an equal number of quotations at $30 and at $35 in March. The same grade of women's coats were most commonly quoted at $25. For these garments 14 also, there were a large number of quotations above the modal price, which brought the averages to $33.02 for men's coats and $30.44 for women's coats in March, 1920. Men's negligee shirts and women's blouses. The cost of men's negligee shirts priced in 1914 at $1 had made greater advances than had women's blouses formerly selling for the same price, although the most frequent price in March, 1920, $2.50, was the same in each case. The average in- crease since 1914 of 139.2% for women's blouses was the smallest reported for any item for which quotations were secured. Men's work shirts and overalls. The average price of men's work shirts which had cost 50 cents in 1914 had in- creased considerably more than the average price of the $1 grade shirt. In March, 1920, $1.50 was the most frequent price for the 50-cent shirt and $2.50 for that which in 1914 had cost $1. The average increases were 228.4%, and 143.7% respectively. The total advance since July, 1914, in the price of overalls selling for 75 cents in 1914, was 247.2%, the largest for any article of ready-to-wear goods listed. The most frequent price in March, 1920, was $3; the average, $2.60. Shoes. Women's shoes which in 1914 had sold for $3 had advanced in price nearly 210% between July, 1914, and March, 1920, and men's shoes formerly costing $3.50 were 169.3% higher. The increase since November, 1919, however, was slightly greater for men's shoes than for women's. A wide range of prices was charged for these shoes in March, 1920, with the average for men's at $9.43 and for women's at $9.28. Gloves. The average increase between July, 1914, and March, 1920, of 217.1% in the cost of women's cape kid gloves was appreciably greater than the increase in the cost of men's dogskin gloves, which amounted to 157.7%. This appears in comparing the average price of men's gloves, $3.22 in March, 1920, with the average price of women's, $3.17, as against the 1914 price of the former, which was $1.25, and of the latter, which was $1. Hats. Men's felt hats which cost $2 in 1914 averaged $5.06 in March, 1920, and were most frequently quoted at $5. The cost of women's velvet hats selling for $1.50 and of women's straw hats at $1 in 1914, averaged $4.34 and $2.87, respectively, in March, 1920. Since November, 15 1919, the price of each had advanced about 30%, or more within this four-months' period than any of the other articles listed. Clothing Budgets In the clothing budgets for a wage-earner and his wife given in Table 4, such articles of men's and women's clothing are listed as might be purchased in one year. With the cost of these in 1914 is compared their average cost in March, 1919, November, 1919, and March, 1920. The difference between the totals of these budgets indi- cates the increase in the cost of clothing as it affects an average wage-earner and his wife. No clothing budgets for children are given, since previous investigations have shown that the average cost of children's clothing tends to change in about the same proportion as that of adults. It should be understood that the budgets do not aim to list all of the articles necessary for complete clothing outfits, but simply to afford as close an approximation as possible to the average purchases in one year. The average percentage of increase for the man's budget, 181.7%, and for the woman's budget, 171.5%, would be varied somewhat by changing the items and the numbers of each, but it is probable that the average increase of 177% between July, 1914, and March, 1920, is entirely representative of the average increase in the cost of any reasonable combination of items in a family clothing budget. Because of the greater rise in the price of yard goods than of made-up garments, the average increase in the cost of clothing when made at home would be more than 177%. The actual cost, however, would be less than when, as it is assumed in these budgets, every- thing is bought ready-made. A few of the clothing dealers reporting to the Board looked for a decline in prices in the near future, but the majority expected that, for a time at least, prices would continue to advance. 16 TABLE 4: TRIAL BUDGETS OF CLOTHING FOR A MAN AND HIS WIFE FOR ONE YEAR, BASED ON COMPARATIVE PRICES IN JULY, I9I4, INARCH, I9I9, NOVEMBER, I919, AND MARCH, 1920 (National Industrial Conference Board) Man s Budget Article Cost in Cost in Cost in Cost in July, 1914 March, 1919 November, 1919 March, 1920 Suit . . $15.00 $26.00 $34.00 $40.50 Overcoat 10.00 18.50 27.00 33.00 Heavy trousers 3.50 6.00 8.50 10.50 Two shirts . . 2.00 3.25 4.50 5.25 Three work shirts 1.75a 4.10 4.80 5.40 Three pairs overalls 2.25 5.55 6.75 7.80 Shoes and repairs . . 9,00 15.50 21.50 23.75 Eight pairs hose 1.20 2.00 2.50 2.85 Five sets underwear . 3.50* 7.00 8.65 9.50 Two night shirts 1.50 2.60 3.50 3.80 Collars and ties . . 1.50 2.65 3.15 3.50 Hats, caps and gloves 5.00 8.50 10.75 12.75 Sundries 2.50 4.50 6.00 6.75 All articles $58.70 $106.15 $141.60 $165.35 Increase, March, 1920, over July, 1914 . Increase, March, 1920, over March, 1919 Increase, March, 1920, over November, 1919 181.7% 55.8% 16.8% Woman's Budget Article Cost in Cost in Cost in Cost in July, 1914 March, 1919 November,1919 March, 1920 Coat or suit $15.00 $24.00 $32.00 $38.50 Woolen dress . 5.00 9.50 11.75 14.00 Woolen skirt . . 2.00 3.25 4.50 5.60 Two cotton skirts 2.00 3.75 4.50 5.75 Four waists 4.00 6.20 8.00 9.60 Two house dresses 2.00 3.50 4.50 6.00 Three aprons .90 2.25 3.00 3.00 Shoes, overshoes and repairs 6.65 13.00 18.50 20.00 Hosiery 1.50 2,75 3.45 4.15 Corsets 2.00 3,50 4.25 4.85 Six union suits 3.25