Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 151, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1917 — The Barbers Are Also at War. [ARTICLE]

The Barbers Are Also at War.

The Rensselaer barbers are also having thteir troubles and a barber’s war is one of the possibilities of the near future. A few weeks ago the Rensselaer barbers raised the price of hair cuts from 25 to 35 cents. As a result Charlie Jacks opened a shop in the Hotel Makeever building and has been cutting hair at the old price of a quarter. Some of the barbers felt the effect of this and - this week two of the old barbers put the price of hair cuts back to the old price of 25 cents. A meeting of the barbers was held Thursday evening to discuss this new phase of the situation, but the only agreement reached was to let the matter stand as it is for the present and watch developments. . A real war in which ten cent shaves may figure is a possibility of the near The barbers, like many others, have been hard hit with the constantly increasing prices of living -and their paths have not been rosy for some time and they claim they have had hard times to make ends meet and the latest raise was not only justified but was a necessity in order to meet the increased cost of living. Rensselaer has a surplus of barber shops, which makes it hard sledding for all of them. The war has also had its effect upon them, and with the departure of Co. M and those joining the regular army, the effect upon their business will be much more noticeable, for it is the young men who are the best patrons of the barbers. \