CONFERENCE BOARD INDEX 35 
in 1914. In November, 1918, these cheaper budgets were 
not itemized, although in measuring the increase in clothing 
prices they had a certain influence for some time, because 
it was recognized that the lower price goods apparently had 
increased in cost more than those of somewhat better grade.! 
In November, 1918, four other items were added to the 
original 25, and these have been retained ever since as the 
measuring unit of clothing price changes. No articles of 
children’s clothing are priced. In 1918, a number of experi- 
ments were made with data collected regarding children’s 
clothing, from which it was clear that boys’ clothing prices 
changed in practically the same ratio as did the cost of 
clothing for a man, while the cost of girls’ and little children’s 
changed about as a woman’s; the two combined were so 
nearly similar to the results attained when men’s and 
women’s only were used as to make the collection and tabu- 
lation of data regarding children’s clothing appear unneces- 
sary.? 
The standard of goods included in the clothing budget is 
indicated by its 1914 selling price. These were representative 
quotations for a fair grade of popular selling merchandise. 
With one exception they have no trade name and definition 
of comparability has been maintained through continuing 
comparability of prices. Where substitutions have had to 
be made to take care of changes in merchandise available, 
they have been determined on the basis of price, use and 
See Table 7, p. 137. 
This was verified by the National Industrial Conference Board in later studies 
of the minimum cost of living in particular localities and was confirmed in an 
implied criticism of the National Industrial Conference Board for not using chil- 
dren’s clothing costs in computing its index. This criticism was based on a study of 
the price data gathered by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics in which 
It was found that in the four years from June, 1920 to June, 1924, on seven of the 
fifteen dates for which quotations were collected, there was 2 difference of three 
Points, and on seven, a difference of four points between the decrease for children’s 
clothing and the decrease for adult’s clothing since June, 1920. Since adult’s 
clothing would be weighted at least twice as heavily as children’s and probably more 
In an index based on both adult’s and children’s clothing prices, it is evident that 
the index based on adult’s clothing only in this four year period would have exag- 
gerated only about one point the decline in clothing prices as contrasted with the 
index which might have been based on prices of clothing for adults and children 
combined. See Elma B. Carr, “Cost nf Living Statistics of the U.S. Bureau of 
Labor Statistics and the National Industrial Conference Board,” Journal of the 
American Statistical Association. December. 1924. p. 501.