Produced by Anca Sabine Dumitrescu, Brian Magee, Clog and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net Transcriber's Note: The original publication contained 35 blank, unnumbered pages between the last page of the Conclusion and the page entitled _Publications of the National Industrial Conference Board_. National Industrial Conference Board 15 BEACON STREET, BOSTON, MASS. BRANCH OFFICE 724 SOUTHERN BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Industrial Conference Board is a co-operative body composed of representatives of national and state industrial associations, and closely allied engineering societies of a national character, and is organized to provide a clearing house of information, a forum for constructive discussion, and machinery for co-operative action on matters that vitally affect the industrial development of the nation. FREDERICK P. FISH _Chairman_ MAGNUS W. ALEXANDER _Managing Director_ MEMBERSHIP AMERICAN COTTON MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION AMERICAN HARDWARE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION AMERICAN PAPER AND PULP ASSOCIATION ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURERS' CLUB INSTITUTE OF MAKERS OF EXPLOSIVES MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS' ASSOCIATION OF THE U.S. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COTTON MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FINISHERS OF COTTON FABRICS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOOL MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NATIONAL BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR INDUSTRIAL DEFENSE NATIONAL ELECTRIC LIGHT ASSOCIATION NATIONAL ERECTORS' ASSOCIATION NATIONAL FOUNDERS' ASSOCIATION NATIONAL IMPLEMENT AND VEHICLE ASSOCIATION NATIONAL METAL TRADES ASSOCIATION RUBBER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC. SILK ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA THE RAILWAY CAR MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION UNITED TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES OF MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATED MANUFACTURERS AND MERCHANTS OF NEW YORK STATE ILLINOIS MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION OF CONNECTICUT, INC. THE COST OF LIVING AMONG WAGE-EARNERS FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS OCTOBER, 1919 RESEARCH REPORT NUMBER 22 NOVEMBER, 1919 _Copyright 1919_ NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE BOARD 15 BEACON STREET BOSTON, MASS. CONTENTS PAGE FOREWORD vii PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION 1