While their husbands and children work on through the holiday Thursday to keep the wheels of production turning toward their goal in the national war effort, Williamsport housewives will have to do some work of their own to keep up with the family budget to keep up the Thanksgiving tradition of the usual hearty dinner.

For in comparing this year’s prices with those prevailing last year at this time. Mrs. Williamsport will note sharp increases, with general foodstuffs remaining stable — butter, eggs and poultry are soaring to new highs.

Chicken, which last year sold at 20 cents a pound, this year will range between 34 and 39 cents. Turkey last year ranged in price from 32 cents for cold storage fowl to 45 cents for home dressed. This year it runs from 50 to 55 cents. Butter costs 12 cents per pound more and eggs cost 10 cents a dozen more.

An average dinner of fruit cocktail or tomato juice, chicken or turkey, mashed potatoes, or candied sweets, corn pudding, brussel sprouts, celery, olives, sliced raw carrots, cranberry sauce, lettuce salad with Russian dressing, pumpkin or minced pie and coffee, will cost approximately $1.07 a person, using chicken and $1.48 using turkey.

Supplies purchased by the marketing housewife for the family of five last year cost approximately $4.38 for dinner using chicken as the main course. This year the same supplies will cost $5.35.

For dinner with turkey as the main attraction, the cost last year was $6.25. This year it is $7.38 for the same supplies. The per person price jumping from $1.25 to $1.48.

Two years ago foodstuffs for this turkey dinner could be purchased for the same amount it cost today for a chicken dinner.

If the family decides to declare a holiday for the cook and eat out at a restaurant, more money should be put in father’s wallet to take care of the check.