Haircut Heresy

Taking their cue from the farm bloc, a number of the Harvard Square barbers have also decided to do their wartime clientele for all it's worth. With the plea that raised costs on labor, soap, towels, and tonic force them to raise prices, the barbers have chosen to jump the cost of a haircut from fifty to sixty or sixty-five cents. Actually it appears that only those who have long gone unwashed would require soap, towels, or tonic for a simple haircut. And, as for labor, the average barber is now receiving sixty-five cents on the cutting dollar plus tips. Major overhead costs, such as rent and electricity remain the same, while equipment like clippers and combs can be used indefinitely. With the Army, Navy, and a full Summer School supplying customers in unprecedented numbers, it hardly seems that the barber business is lagging. Those who make the change may well find their own purposes defeated by many fewer customers.