Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-07
Official Responsibility.

1t Is not quite clear in the minds of the
average citizen whether the District govern
ment regards itself primarily or second
arily responsible for the abatement of dam
gerous nuisances. There Is a strong belief
in many minds that it is the duty of
municipal administration to take the fnit1a-
tive in all matters affecting the public
health and safety. For this purpose are
provided a police department. fire depart
ment and a health department The police
department is represented during every hour
of the day on the public streets, and its MEM
bers are supposedly doing more than merely
waiting for chance to arrest criminals.
The fire department is represented by fire
marshal and other officials, whose duty it is
to ascertain the condition of certain classes
of buildings where there Is a chance Of
disaster. The health department is sup
posedly active at all times in seeking pos
sible centers of infection and in maintain
ing high standard of food purity. The
citizen has the right to regard these guards
as effective, and to rely upon them to
lieye him from the burden of complaint to
the extent of feeling assured that fragrant
and open instances of unsafety may be
remedied without his intervention.
Despite this presumption in favor of an
active surveillance over the conditions
that affect the public health and safety,
the records are replete with instances Of
conspicuous nuisances and menaces stand
ing for weeks without official action.
When, in the case of the drowning of
two small boys last Sunday in a pond Gre
ated by rainwater filing a hollow near a
public work. a disaster occurs in conse-
quence Of some such condition, there is
ity, and the official declaration is heard
that there had been complaints by cit
liens. This explanation of inaction dis
regards the basic theory of the municipal
guardianship of the public safety
The pond in which the boys were
drowned has been standing for some time.
1t was within view of the regular police
men that beat and the special police
man stationed on guard at the filtration
work 1t was obviously dangerous if deep
water is ever dangerous Was it not the
business of the policemen at least to
sound it and ascertain it's depth? Was it
not their business in any case to report
its existence to headquarters? And if
headquarters knew of the dangerous con-
ditions, was it not the business of that
branch of the District government to pass
the word along officially and keep in
mOllOn the wheels OF municipal aCtlSlCy
There is more at stake than the question
of who was responsible for the continued
menace to health involved in this partic-
ular case. Out in the northeastern section
not many weeks ago filthy condition was
complained of to the District government,
arising from the accumulation of foul sur
face drainage in a hollow and the choking
of the sewer outlet. The evil condition had
continued for weeks The OdorS were borne
long distances and finally. after waiting
with decreasing patience for official action.
the residents complained and steps were
taken to abate the nuisance.
If the people wait for the police and the
police wait for the people, of course nothing
will be done Events must in that case de-
velop to the point of a tragedy or an cpl
demic. Curative processes are far better in
voked in advance of disaster. The Commits
sioners have ample power under their police
regulation authority to anticipate and meet
evil conditions affecting the lives. health
and comfort of the people, and 1t would
seem to be incumbent upon them at all
times, through their subordinates. to make
sure that the burden of responsibility is
placed squarely where it belongs, upon the
shoulders of those charged with the specific
duty of keeping the District clean and safe
In all respects. and not shifted to the resi-
dents whose taxes go to maintain our elab-
crate administrative organization.