Page:Walter Renton Ingalls - Current Economic Affairs (1924).pdf/103

Rh I have here remarked respecting a major economic condition that has received but slight attention. The consumer may be conscious that the clothing that he buys is made of shoddy material that will not last long, while he is ignorant that the storage battery that he puts upon his automobile is destined for a life of only one year, constraining him to buy a new one every year instead of every two years as formerly; and still less does he appreciate that the modest house that he builds at great cost is relatively soon going to cause him to incur large bills for its upkeep.

Due consideration should be given to such conditions in examining whether the scale of living of the American people has, or has not, advanced. This is an extra-ordinarily complicated question and much less than undertaking to answer it finally I am intending rather to offer some suggestions respecting it and to present some statistical data bearing upon it.

Without any doubt the American people as a whole have the use of more telephones and more electric appliances, of more automobiles, the pleasure of new amusements such as moving pictures and radiotelephony, and the more enjoyment of the luxury of leisure. All of those things intimate an advancement in their scale of living.

On the other hand housing is admittedly inadequate, railway travel is less comfortable, the annoyances of freight congestions are now and then experienced, the conditions of urban transportation are bad and growing worse (especially in the city of New York), and school facilities are admittedly insufficient.

We have, potentially at least, an abundant supply of wheat and corn, and consequently of meat; also of