Show FATTER PAY CHECK the real cost of living which is measured by rela relating ting commodity prices to wages and purchasing power is less now than in the allegedly good old days the authority for that statement is ewan clague commissioner of labor statistics mr clague pointed out that the governments consumer price index has not quite doubled since since 1939 while weekly earnings in manufacturing have tripled mr clague also observed that consumer prices in in general have been stabilized for the past year or more and that some prices have declined from the postwar highs what this means is that we have returned to a normal market situation there are no shortages of consumer goods in some fields there are surpluses consumers as any merchant can tell you have become choosier with their eyes out for bargains the result is intense competition on both the manufacturing and retail levels and when that is the case the tendency is for the weekly pay check to go further |