The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-12-06

! luaLed IN the city OF washington IMAM
[ In most other cities. For this very rea-
son IL is easier 10 deal with the various
phases OF these problems In Wdshlas-
I ton. and the District OF Columbia gtv-
eminent should be a model for the other
municipal governments Of the nation. IN
all suCh matters as supervision Jf tie
| housing Of the poor the creation Of
/ small parks ia the districts inhabited Ey
/ the poor. in laws Affecting labor, 10 laws
providing Tor the taking care on the
/ children, I'm truant laws and In pravid-
/ ing schools.
Juvenile Courts.
/ In the vital matter Of taking care Of
/ children, much advantage could be gain
! ed by a careful study Of what has been
/ accomplished In such States as Illinois
/ and Colorado by the juvenile courts.
/ The work Of the juvenile court is really
/ a work Of character building. IL is
now generally recognized that young
| boys and young girls who go wrong
should not be treated as criminals. not
/ even necessarily as needing reforma-
ton, but rather as needing 70 nave their
/ characters formed, and Tor this end 70
/ have them tested ana developed Dy a
/ system OF probation. Much admirable
work has been done In many or our
q Commonwealth BY earnest men ana
women who have made special study
( Of the needs OF those classes OF chlldren
I which furnish the greatest number OF
/ juvenile Offenders. and therefore the
/ greatest number or adult offenders' ana
/ by their aid and by Fronting by the
/ experiences Of the different States and
/ cities in these matters, II would De easy
| 10 provide a good code for the Dlstrlct
! OF Columbia.
Unsanitary Houses.
Several considerations suggest the
need Of a systematic investigation into
/ and Improvement OF housing conditions
in Washington The hidden residential
alleys are breeding grounds of vice and
disease. and should be opened into minor
/ streets For a number Of years IN
huenttal citizens have Joined with the
/ District Commissioners in the vain en-
deavor To secure laws permitting the
/ condemnation Of insanitary dwellings.
The local death rates. especially from
| preVentable diseases, are so unduly high
as TO suggest that the exceptional whole
J someness Of Washington better sec
{ tions r. offset By bad conditions in her
\ poorer ueighbOrhoOds. i special com
> mission on Housing and Health Condi-
tions in the National Capital would
d rot only bring about the reformation
q Of existing evils. but would also IoFnu-
Il late an appropriate building code 70
protect the city from mammoth brick
tenements and other evils which threat
, en- TO develop here as they have IN other
, cities That the nations Capital should
p be made a model Tor other munlcipall-
. ties Is an ideal which appeals 10 Az
uatriOtic citizens everywhere, and sueh
. / a special commission might nap out
II and organize the city's future oeNeiop-
ment IN lines OF clFlc soeidt 49,,
just as Major l. Enfant ana the recent
Park Commission planned the arrange
% ment Of her streets and parks
School Truancy.
: 1t is Notifying to remember that
4 I rrfrerHN 1f.r r.
= attendance law and that careful in
! ouiries indicate the habituaI absence
+ from school OF some 20 per cent OF al
: children between the ages OF eight
J. and fourteen. 1t must be evident 10 All
; who consider the problems or neglected
/ child life or the Dement'S OF compulsot3
/ education in other cities Lnat one "a
; the most urgent needs OF the NatleHai
/ CaDital IS II law requiring the sctool
? attendance of all children, this law 70
= be enforced By attendance agents direct
ed by the Board Of Education
City Fairgrounds.
/ public play grounds are necessary
means for the development Of whole
f some citizenship in modern cities. II Is
r iyonort4nt that the work inaugurated
s here through voluntary efforts should
he taken uo and extended through Con-
Z 1rassfo1al appropriation Of funds SUI
i fcient 90 equip and maintaln numef-
% otls convenient small play grounds upon
20 land which can be secured without puF
chase or rental. II IS also desirable tIia.
= suau vacant places be purchased anu
: reserved as smaIl-park play grounds N
d deusely populated sections OF me CITY
: which now nave no public open spaces
Z and ave destined soon 20 be punt up
r eolidIy All these needs should De met
y immediately To meet them would en-
r. rail expenses. bur a Corresponding say
2 ing could be made by STOPPING ths
building &c streets and levciing OF
D around for purposes largely speculative
L an outlying parts of the city
+ Corporal Punishment.
There are certain offenders. whose
{ criminality takes the shape Of bru-
; t,Iitv ana cruelty toward the weak,
p VINO need "a special type OF punishment
u The wife-beater. for example, is mad
= emateiy punished by imprisonment; for
j, Imprisonment may often mean nothing
b. Ia him. wi.ile III may cause hunger and
s want 10 the wife and children who have
d been tho victims of his brutality. Prob
3 ably some fCrE- Of corporal punishment
would be thu most adequate way or
meeting this kind of crime.