Indianapolis Times, Volume 34, Number 8, Indianapolis, Marion County, 21 May 1921 — Page 9

Last June a bushel of potatoes cost $6.18. In December, last, a bushel of potatoes cost only $1.92. In six months time your dollar GREW to more than THREE TIMES its former size. v It would buy THREE TIMES as much—in potatoes. So, as far as potatoes are concerned, your money went THREE TIMES further in December than it did in June. And, therefore, you had THREE TIMES as much to spend—your WAGES had been multiplied by THREE.,

Why Worry About $6.18 We all THINK it’s money we’re after. But, it ISN’T. We’re after the things money will BUY I THAT’S what we WANT! For example, if all in the world I had to buy each week was a bushel of potatoes, I wouldn’t be worrying each week NOW how I was going to get $6.18. In DECEMBER it didn’t take $6.18 to* buy a bushel of potatoes. It only took about $1.92. So, I’d be iust as well off on potatoes as I was before, if I had $1.92 instead of $6.18. Money Left Over That is the precise effect of lowering costs. Potatoes have been REDUCED in price since last June. The figures given above are quoted from the statistics of the United States Department of Labor—average prices applying to the United States as a whole. It required $6.18 last June to buy a bushel of potatoes. In December I could buy a bushel of potatoes and still have $4.26 to buy SOMETHING ELSE —if my wages remained the same. A dollar went THREE TIMES as far for potatoes in December as in June. Thus, even though my wages remained the SAME, I had, in effect, THREE TIMES as many DOLLARS to spend in December as in June.

We’re Buying As Much —Merely Handling Less Money

INDIANA DAJLY TIMES, SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1921.

In effect my wages were THREE TIMES as high in December —as in June, as far as potatoes were concerned. Merely Handle Less Money Somebody somewhere readjusted his prices on potatoes to anew and LOWER level. That’s why the PRICE came down. Is it going to injure me—or you—if the PRICE of our labor comes down ir I tOPORTIONt We're not being DEPRIVED of the things our wages will BUY. We Ye merely not HANDLING as much MONEY as we used to. But, we’re still buying as MUCH, with LESS money. % . We’re just as WELL OFF, from the'standpoint of what we buy, as we were last June—even with LESS money. And all we VALUE monev for, is for what it will BUT. Moderate Readjustment Is it true that not ALL things that we must buy have come down in price as far as potatoes. But, on the other hand, nobody has been asked to accept a WAGE adjustment that will COMPARE with the reduction in the price of potatoes.

How Your Prosperity Is Being Assured — No. 3

Wage adjustments that have been proposed,' have been MODEST in COMPARISON to the ADJUSTMENT in the price of POTATOES—they are, in fact, NOT to be compared AT ALL. But wages ARE being adjusted to new and SOUND levels, just as all OTHER prices are being so ADJUSTED. The United States Department of Labor’s statistics show that of 22 principal articles of food there was only ONE exception to the downward swing of prices at the close of 1920. That one exception was EGGS. And, current prices on eggs show, that they, too, have GOT INTO LINE! The Other Fellow’s Price ■"■■— 1 ■ ■■■■!■■ ■■■■■—■ What we are compelled to PAY for what we BUY, is, after all, a more important factor than what amount of MONEY we get in our pay envelope. The other fellow’s PRICE determines HOW] MUCH of anything we can BUY. IT is the MEASURE of our wages. Other prices are shown to be READJUSTING themselves to anew and sound level. My price—and YOURS —must get INTO LINE. It must bear a proper RELATIONSHIP to OTHER prices. My price can’t stay HlGH—while YOURS is low. They must BALANCE.’Then we’ll have STABILITY —and happiness and prosperity! And if LESS money will still BUY as much (as it will), why should be object to such a readjustment ?