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Wage graph misses the point

The full-page article about the origins and history of the minimum wage (“Further Review,” March 12) was interesting; however, I was quite disappointed at how misleading the graph and closing paragraph were. “As you can see, the federal minimum wage has increased $7 since it was implemented in 1938 [from $0.25 to $7.25]. But a dollar in 1935 would buy more than “$19 in today’s money.” This is true, but irrelevant — they compare apples to oranges. It seems to argue that minimum wage has not kept up with inflation, but the opposite is true.

Per your chart, the price of a $1 item has increased 19-fold to $19 from 1935 to now, while minimum wage has increased 29-fold from $0.25 to $7.25. The reader could easily see this in the chart if each started at the same point, $0.25. In that case an item costing $0.25 would have increased to $4.75 in the same time minimum wage has increased to $7.25, nearly double the rate of inflation.

Ken Brown

Spokane Valley

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