Page:Walter Renton Ingalls - Current Economic Affairs (1924).pdf/101



The expression “scale of living” is preferable to “standard of living.” The latter implies something that is set up as a basis, that ought to be enjoyed. It associates itself with the “living wage.” Of course there can be no such thing as the same standard of living for all the people of a country, nor will they ever be in enjoyment of the same scale of living. The town dweller has necessarily a different standard from the country man, the college professor from the ditch digger. We may, however, talk rationally about the scale of living in a country as a whole and among its classes of people. I am not intending to be oracular upon this subject, but rather, to examine conditions of the present as compared with pre-war, and especially with respect to the United States. As for Europe there is no question about the scale of living of the people having deteriorated in more or less degrees in every country, certainly the most in Russia and possibly the least in Great Britain and France, but I am frank to say that the last remark reflects my conjecture rather than my knowledge of facts.