Inflation, inflation!
This may not appear to be much, but you must take into account that this is from 1939. That was just before the start of the Second World War. So, we need to add 83 years of price increases to see how much this is worth in today’s dollars.
Depending on the inflation calculator you pick, pay raises in 2022 could be worth anything from 861 to 970 dollars. The person most likely earned approximately 3500 dollars a month if this was a normal pay stub. It isn’t easy now, but it’s doable.