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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 29, 1957)
Rising Living Costs Said Not Due To Food Prices New York Food prices are not contributing to the increased cost of living shown in statistics recently released by federal gov ernmental agencies according to Paul S. Willis, president of the Grocery Manufacturers of Amer ica. A statement on "Cost of Liv ing" just issued by President Willis follows: "A recent release by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics an nounced that the "cost of living" Is at an all-time high and that the month of July recorded the eleventh consecutive monthly in crease. This release was widely publicized, and immediately some statements attributed this new peak in living costs to high er food prices. These statements, while untrue, were undoubtedly made because of the long-time habit of always blaming food prices for higher living costs. "Instead of food prices con tributing to the higher cost of living, they have actually helped to reduce the overall increase. The prices which consumers pay at the grocery store today are about 2 per cent below the peak prices prevailing in August, 1952. Food Prices Decline During this five year period since 1952, while food prices de clined 2 per cent, the overall cost of living index advanced 5V2 per cent. If grocery store prices of food had increased as much as other items in the gov ernment's Consumer Price Index, then the cost of living increase would have been 8 per cent in stead of 5Vi per cent. So it is ' plain to see that food prices held . down living costs. We are referring especially to the food that consumers buy at the grocery store which is iden tified in the index as "Food At Home." The government's over all Retail Food Price Index in cludes not only this "Food at Home," but also food consumed In public eating places. Prices at these eating places, because of the cost of extra services, are about 5 per cent above 1952. That explains why the govern ment's figures show total food prices to be about Vz per cent Johnston and Stewart QUALITY SHOES Johnston JUNIOR Victor C. Sether INSURANCE E. L. Bartholomezv AGENCY Insurance Real Estate Chicago and Northwestern SYSTEM Bert Havard, General Agent higher than in 1952. The lower prices for food eaten at home are overbalanced by the higher prices of food eaten away from home. The government's index is based on regular store shelf prices. This does not take into account the savings which the consumer derives from smart shopping for specials and from money-saving coupons and other price concessions like free goods. And moreover, she avoids buy ing items out-bf-season or when in temporary short supply. For its index the government has used for years the same pro ducts in the market basket for its comparison. But it doesn't follow that consumers buy these identical products. It is reason able to assume that over these years some of these products have from time to time been in short supply and temporarily higher priced. The government statisticians are obliged to use these items in order to maintain the same comparisons, but the smart shopper probably does not. The primary reason why liv ing costs have hit new highs is the steadily climbing price of "services." During the past five years, the price of "services" in cluded in the index' advanced 16 per cent, whereas there has been practically no change in the overall level of retail "com modity" prices. In these five years prices have increased 14 per cent for beauty shop services, 15 per cent for rents, 16 per cent for physicians' fees, 19 per cent for men's hair cuts, 20 per cent for public trans portation, 26 per cent for tele vision repairs, and 41 per cent for water used in the home. It is in these "service" areas that we find the real explanation of rising living costs. The food industry has worked hard to achieve maximum ef ficiency in production and dis tribution. It would be unfortun ate if its accomplishment of hold ing grocery store food prices about 2 per cent below the level of five years ago were to be lost in a . statistical shuffle, and through slanted interpretations." THE NEW BROPHY BUILDING BRINGS and Stewart BOOT SHOP Casual Bui Elegant 7U" A 12-20 The perfect style for almost every fabric casual in cotton, elegant in crepe or faille, dra matic in satin! Note the shirt waist styling, dropped shoulder, cavalier cuffs! Printed Pattern assures easier sewing. Printed Pattern 9071: Misses' Sizes 12, 14, 16, 18, 20. Size 16 takes 4Vs yards 45-inch fabric, pattern part. Easier, accurate. Send FIFTY CENTS (coins) for this pattern add 5 cents for each pattern for lskclass mail ing. Send to Marian Martin, care of Medford Mail Tribune, Pattern Dept., 232 West 18th St., New York 11, N.Y., Print plainly NAME, ADDRESS with SIZE and STYLE NUMBER. Adventure is where you find it and you can find a great deal of adventure in books at your Medford Public library. As Brilliant As A Fine Diamond! MEDFORD , OREGON Family Ties, Traditions, Fun May Be Promoted at Mealtime Corvallis Mealtime offers an ideal opportunity for develop ing family ties, traditions and fun, according to an Oregon State college family life pro fessor. Too often, however, the oppor tunity is "missed or slighted" and mealtime fails to be the pleasant and profitable experi ence it might be, Dr. Lester'A. Kirkendall believes. The dinner table is the major meeting place for families sepa rated most of the day by work, school or play, he points out. For that reason, he urges par ents to make mealtime a special time when members of the fami ly can share their experiences and accomplishments, can talk over and learn new things, can formulate family plans, and can "find happiness". From surveys made in his classes. Kirkendall is convinced .that many families find great satisfaction in making meals a time for discussion. Many students emphasized in the survey that "no rushing" should be allowed at mealtime. Reserve that period and let other things wait, students say. , Special activities can often be olanned at dinner that add in terest and enjoyment, Kirken dall noted. One student said his mother made dinner "something special" with "surprise" dishes. Others said having table topics to discuss or inviting guests to dinner with an eye on getting a new and broadened viewpoint on things was one of the things they most remembered from home. Using mealtime to get better acauainted with neigh bors and friends also was sug- Dr. Frank A. Freeburger OPTOMETRIST Announces that he is now equipped and prepared to fit CONTACT LENSES to those of his patients desiring this service. 213 East Main, Medford Phone SP 2-2210 ,ERS IV W . 1 " Ny-"j VI Quality Diamonds Honestly Priced for Over a Quarter of a Century gested. .Mealtime is a good time for family councils, students re portedActivities and plans can be talked over and agreed upon to the satisfaction of all. Main complaints of mealtime were that it is used too much for "dressing down" the youngsters, for discipline purposes and for airing gripes and criticisms that depressed rather than uplifted the family. "Keep mealtime a happy and worthwhile time," the students, and Dr. Kirkendall, stressed. . Council Meeting Is Recent Event Beta Sigma Phi City council held its first meeting of the 1957-58 year September 23 at the home of Mrs. Tom Shoop, 130 White Oak drive. The president, Mrs. Maynard Paup conducted the business meeting and activity for the coming year was discussed. Refreshments were served by Mrs. Shoop. , Company Soup Prepare this elegant soup for company. Pit and peel one large soft avocado and mix in electric blender with V cup table cream. Add IV2 cups chicken-broth and blend until velvety. Season with salt and light squeeze of garlic. Serve chilled, garnished with chopped chives. 4 Avocado Salad Mold crushed pineapple, diced j avocado and chopped walnuts in lime flavored gelatin. Use syrup j drained from the pineapple for t part of the liquid, and add the j juice of half a lemon to brighten the flavor. THE MODERN LOOK TO Sunday, September 29, 1957 We Feature- THESE WELL KNOWN LINES Many well known and many are COSMETIC, MAKE-UP AND SKIN TREATMENT Revlon Coty Helena Rubinstein Dorothy Gray Jacqueline Cochran Germaine Monteil Max Factor Yardley Marcelle AZIZA Famous French r Eye Cosmetics We also have a complete stock of perfumes and colognes in many of the above lines! FOR MEN Faborge Men's Lotion Aphrodisia and Woodhue Kingsmen Old Spice Sea Forth Yardly English Lavender Coty Preferred Stock Atkinsons Made in England Royal Briar Lotion Eau de Cologne Marcel Rochas Moustache Lanvin for Men Charbert Of Thee I Sing Gourelli Here's How, Tang The House for Men His MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE SEVEN all ever the world exclusive here. OPEN WEEK DAYS 8:30 arm. ti 10:30 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.ir PERFUMES and EVYAN White Shoulders : Most Precious Menace ', Golden Shadows MARCEL ROCHAS Femme 4711 Tosca, Troika, Mascoto LANVIN Arpege, My Sin -Scandal, Rumeur Pretex RAPHAEL Repleque, Plaisir DANA Tabu, Emir, Voodoo, Platine, 20 Carats, Ambush LUCIEN LELONG Tailspin, Indiscret, , Balalaika, Sirocco ANJOU Side Glance, Apropos, Devastating LENTHERIC Tweed, Miracle, Shanghai, Adams Rib, GOURIELLI Something Blue, Moonlight Mist, Five O'clock DOWNTOWN McLain s DR UG CENTRE (Prescriptions and Cosmetics Dr. Frank A. Freeburger Dr. Robert L. Harland OPTOMETRISTS Occidental Life Insurance Co. of California William M. Caldwell, Gen. Agent Jeanette T. Marshall LAWYER John A. Graff Jr. CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT . Work hand-in-hand with your physician is our number-one rule in helping to preserve your most price less possession ... your health! COLOGNES CHRISTIAN DIOR Miss Dior, Diorama, Fleurs' Fraiches SHULTON Old Spice, Escapade CARON Bellodgia, Christmas Night, and Others CHARBERT Breathless GUERLAIN Shalimar, . . . . . Mitsouko, L'Heure Bleue, etc. FABERGE Flambeau, Straw Hat, . Aphrodisia, Act IV, Tigress, Woodhue EVENING IN PARIS MEDFORD ' PKSCPIPTK)Ns drug ccKime
