SIX MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Tuesday. August 8. 19S7
Most Americans Better Off Than Ever Despite Declining Doiiar
Washington TP The value of show that national average per
the dollar has been falling but
most Americans are better off
than ever before, government
(lata indicates.
Sounds impossible? Lefs see
how it works out.
When economists say the value
of the dollar drops, they mean
that a dollar buys fewer things
than it used to. the dollar itself
is the same, but prices have
risen.
The consumer dollar today is
estimated to have a purchasing
power about five-sixths of what
it was worth 10 years ago.
Put another way, with the
1957-49 average of Consumer
goods prices equal to 100, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest
price index stood at 120-2 an
all-time high.
Yet despite this record of in
flation a record that runs back
into the 19th Century Amer
icans on the average are able
to buy more goods and services
than ever before.
'Real' Income Increase
Commerce Department figures
capita "real" income in 19o6 was
nearly 50 per cent greater than
in 1929. That &, the average
America could buy 50 per cent
more goods and services last
year than in the heyday of the
golden Twenties.
This despite the increase in
taxes since tfien. And despite the
fact that the purchasing power
of the dollar (taking 1947-49 as
u base of 100 cents) fell from
$1.36 in 1949 to 86 cents now.
The explanation of course is
that average income rose faster
than prices and taxes.
Economists noted that these
figures are for notional per cap
ita averages. Different segments
of the population have fared dif
ferently, to say nothing of dif
ferences in individual fortunes.
As a class, manufacturing pro-i
duction workers have had the
greatest gain.
Rising prices probably have
had their worst effect on older
folk people who live on pen
sions and other kinds of fixed
incomes which have not increas- j
ed as much as prices. stead of the base of 1947-49 now month's consumer price index such long-run comparisons and
Today's dollar would look used, in that case, the 1947 buck number would be 284 instead such astronomical figures. It pre-
even smaller if its value were would be worth about 36 cents, of 120.2. fers to use relatively recent base
estimated from 1913 prices in- Using this same base, last The government likes to avoid periods, a spokesman said, be
cause economic comparisons lose
their significance over long peri
ods. In addition, it is occasionally
necessary to revise the relative
weighing of the components of
an index. The economists feel it
is good procedure to update the
base at the same time. Hence,
from time to time, the base peri
od is changed. The latest switch
in the consumer price base was
in 1953. At that time, the 1935
39 price average was dropped
in favor of 1947-49.
The change was made by the '
Bureau of Labor Statistics on
the recommendation of the Bud
get Bureau's Office of Statistical
Standards.
On The Side
(Distributed by King
By E. V. Durling
Features Syndicate, Inc.)
I am not afflicted with in
somnia. I usually doze off a
minute after I hit the pillow.
If a neigbhor is playing his
television set a little loud or
tossing a party, it may take me
two minutes to get to sleep. How
ever, there is one situation which
is a major menace to my slum
b .. That is a mosquito buzzing
around the bedroom in the dark
ness. Some of these insects are
very crafty. They will stop buz
zing finally and let you get to
sleep. Then while your are slum
bering, and won't be able to
swing at them they sting you. As
you probably know it is the
ferns le mosquito that stings. The
male mosquito is a vegetarian.
Please Note
; Frequently heard is a popular
gong, the music of which is high
J. reminiscent of a song hit of
the composer of the song of the
past can be found on the title
sheet. It is credited to a modern
author and copyrighted by him.
This situation has inspired
Humphrey Littleton to observe,
Mf George Gershwin's heirs
could collect on every variation
bf the I Got Rhythm' they would
be in the Eockerfeller class."
Shakespeare's Worst
; What can be called Shake
speare's worst play? It is gen
erally conceded to be "Titus
Andronicus." This is probably
the most horrible horror play of
ail time. In the store are includ
ed 11 murders, two mutilations,
one rape and one cannibal ban
quet. Yet a production of "Titus
Andronicus," featuring Sir Laur
ence Olivier and Vivien Leigh
recently scored a terrific hit in
London.
Divorce
In what state can a divorce
be secured with the least incon
venience? It is said to be Wy
oming where a divorce can be
obtained in 60 days. In Nevada
a divorce can be secured in six
weeks. However, this calls for
actual residence during that per
iod. In Wyoming the divorce
seeker can file a petition and
then leave the state returning
in 60 days for the hearing.
Asking
Queries from clients. Q. Who
wrote the song titled "My Moth
er's Eyes"? A. Georgie Jessel.
He also wrote that torch song
with an optimistic twist, titled
"Oh, How I Laugh When I Think
How I Cried About You." . . .
Q. Who was the head of the
New York organization called
"The Society For The Prevention
of Crime"? I claim it was An
thnnv Comstock. A. You are
slightly confused, sir. Conistock
hr-aded "The Society For the
SimDression of Vice." Dr. Char
les Henry Parkhurst headed
"The Society For The Prevention
of Crime." Comstock s cam
paigns were of a trivial nature
compared to tnose oi rarsnursi.
The latter's vigorous battle
against political corruption in
spired the Lexow Investigation
and the overthrow of Tammany
Hall. Would be nice to have a
man of Parkhurst's calibre
around New York now.
Horses and Women
Red-haired girls with freckles
are said to be intensely affec
tionate. Same is said of girls
with dimples. Just saw a red
haired girl with freckles and
dimples. She must he a really
interesting companion on a
moonlight stroll.
Passing By
Eddie Rickenbacker. World
War I hero and flying ace. He
is still a top man in aviation.
The Eastern Airlines which he
developed and heads is said to
be the best money maker in its
field. Eddie came up the hard j
way. Loss of his father made it i
necessary for him to go to work !
for a living at the age of 12. i
Attending night schools and self-1
education made him what he is
today. Plus courage, of course.
Too Many Words
Referring to a film, an actor
is quoted as saying, "Person
ally, I liked it." Actors, women
and airwave announcers use too
many superfluous words, there
fore, wasting their breath and
other people's time. The "Per
sonally" is superfluous in the
aforementioned quotation. "I
liked it" covers the situation.
Cigars "
The most discerning smokers i
prefer cigars with a natural' color j
wrapper, iney also favor cigars
that are not encased in alumin
um or glass tubes or covered
with cellophane. The flavor of a
cigar improves by the proximity
in a box of other cigars. That
is "naked" or uncovered cigars.
The aforementioned coverings
eliminate this great benefit.
Resentence Delayed
For Robert Merrill
Resentencing of Robert Mer
rill fnrmprlv spntenrprl tn thp
itate penitentiary on charges of J
robbery, has been postponed for
several days pending further in
vestigation, according to the
district attorney's office.
Merrill was returned to Jack
Jon county Friday by sheriff's
deputies and sentencing was pre
viously scheduled for Friday. He
was originally sentenced to 20
years in the penitentiary in 1945
on charges of assault with in
tent to rob. Merrill was sen
tenced under an old statute,
the district attorney's office said,
which has since been proven un
constitutional and revised.
Under the old statute Merrill
could otily be sentenced to a
maximum term of 15 years.
West Denies U.S. Will
Negotiate Separately
London IW Western offi
cials Monday discounted reports
the United States would try to
break the deadlock in the Lon
don disarmament talks by pri
vate negotiations with the Rus
sians. American sources here said
the negotiations .with Russia
would "remain four-power" on i
the western side composed of
the U.S., Britain, France and
Canacte.
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