Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-12-06

creation of small parks = :,
inhabited by the poor, in law ,n' district,
labor in laws providing for ~ meeting
care Of the children, in truaO, AM 'lsl''
and in providing schools laws
In the vital matter Of to,i
children, much advantage eo,',. Ss'e
gained by a careful study % Ou'a ,
been accomplished in sueb s... "AS' %
nois and Colorado by the inS.la y "
courts. The work of the iuvenilo Io''''
IS really a work of characto, eO't
II is now generally recognized ~'
young boys and young girls :, a'
wrong should not be treated as ~,
nals, not even necessarily ne n.,' s'
reformation, but as needir, Vu''l
their characters formed, and for ~ q,
end to have them tested and do,,., :"
by system of probation. NJ,
mlraole work has been done in -.
OF our eommonwealths by earpest :
and women who have made ,n..,.,
study of the needs of those o,o..lN
children which furnish the o,..,
number of juvenile offenders, and t.s'
fore the greatest number of adnn
Tenders, and by their aid and NV u.,
ing by the experiences of the S;s..
states and cities in these matto,.
wouid oe easy to provide a good col.
for the district of Columbia.
Several considerations suggest :,
need of systematic investigation i,,,
and Improvement of housing copdis0,,
in Washington. The hidden resiaoDrJ
alleys are breeding grounds of vice a.
disease and should be opened into MIN,
streets. For a number of wears ia.
ential citizens have joined with the Al,
trict commissioners in the vain enss,,
or to secure laws permitting the "a,
demnation of insanitary dwellings. II. /
local death rates, especially from m.
ventable diseases, are so unduly biOb !,
to suggest that the exceptional wbol.
someness of Washington's better "a,
tions is Offset by bad conditions :
her poorer neighborhoods. A speci,
commission on housing and heslB
conditions in the national eapitalm
would not only bring about the refo,
nation of existing evils, but would ala
formulate an appropriate building code
to protect the city from mammoth brick
tenements and other evils which
threaten to develop here as they have
in other cities. That the nations can.
ital should be made a model for othe,
municipalities is an ideal which ap
peals to all patriotic citizens every.
where, and such special commission
might sap out and organize the city,
future development in lines of civic
service just as Major L 'Enfant and the
recent park commission planned the ar
rangement of her streets and parks.
1t is mortifying to remember that
Washington has no compulsory school
attendance law and that careful inqui
ries indicate the habitual absence from
school of some 20 per cent of all chill
dren between the ages of s and IA. 1t
must be evident to all who consider The
problems of neglected child life or The
benefits of compulsory education in
other cities that one of the most urgent
needs of the national capital is law
requiring the school attendance of all
this law to be enforced by at
tendance agents directed by the bOari
of education.
Public Fairgrounds are necessary
means for the development of whole
some citizenship in modern cities. It IS
that the work inaugurated
here through voluntary efforts should
be taken up and extended through eO''
gressional appropriation of funds sun
cient to equip and maintain numerous
convenient small play grounds upon
land which can be secured without PuT
chase or rental. 1t is also desirable
that small vacant places be purchase
and reserved as small park play grounG
in densely settled sections of the ell!
which now have no public open spaces
and are destined soon to be buht W
solidly. All these needs should be met
To meet them would ea'
-ail expenses, but corresponding Sa''
ng could be made by stopping 'As
of streets and levelling o.
ground for purposes largely speeula'i''
n outlying parts Of the city
There are certain offenders, Wh0's
takes the shape OF pru'ar
ty towards the weak, who need sPeci'i
ype of punishment. The wife'oeass',
or example, is inadequately puni'H'1
~ imprisonment, for imprisonment ma'
,ften mean nothing to him, Whis
nay cause hunger and want to the WV
nd ob;ldran ybo have been the VIC