Cost of living 1918, 1944: Home Front Pledge
Price-control poster comparing two shopping baskets labelled 'Cost of living': in 1918 a woman reaches up to a basket on a tall black column, 64.6 per cent rise in the 53rd month of World War I; in 1944 a woman picks from a basket on a short column, 25.9 per cent rise in the 53rd month of World War II. The text credits price control and ends with a Home Front Pledge to pay ceiling prices and ration points in full.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1944
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- United States Office of Price Administration
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Mobilize or secure compliance
- Themes
- Home front, Economy and finance
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
United States Office of Price Administration. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-610 (NAID 514088).
Text on the object
1918 64.6% RISE IN COST OF LIVING 53RD MONTH WORLD WAR I 1944 Price Control Began Here Before Price Control RISE IN COST OF LIVING 53RD MONTH WORLD WAR II 25.9% COST OF LIVING Here's a war job all America may be proud of. The rise in the wartime cost of living today is less than half the World War I increase... only the patriotic cooperation of the public and businessmen with the government's price control program made this record possible... let's keep up the good work by keeping the Home Front Pledge: "I pay no more than ceiling prices.. ..I pay my ration points in full." UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PRICE ADMINISTRATION [imprint:] ☆ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1944—O—580381
