The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1906-03-30
ONE DAY SPENT
IN Washington
Its Hidden Back Alleys Are
Explored
The Death RATE IS HIGH
There Are No Laws Against Child
Labor and Much Else That Is
Slow, Backward and Wrong
and BAD CONDITIONS As TO HOUSING

The following is reported by Jacob
A. Rils, author Of "How the Other
Half Lived" and "The Making Of an
American" etc:
Two winters ago | spent a day turn
ing Washington inside out. That is TO
say, explored its slums in company
with Mr.. Mcfarland, Mr.. Weller and
others who knew. ! am not unused 10
that sort Of thing, and ! am not easily
discouraged. because | have lived TO
see the light break in many place
where all was darkness before. But |
own that came back, let US say.
exasperated, from that trip. For | had
always liked Washington. To me. as
TO every one who comes there TO enjoy
a holiday. Il had been a beautiful city.
and ! had taken citizens pride in IL.
| do 80 yet, but not in the same way.
For ] had learned that my fair, lovely
apple had rotton spot at the core.
! mean exactly that. for have in
mind the hidden back alleys we saw.
so well hidden that | had passed them
by day after day. pleased with the fine
front the block was making and with
out the least suspicion Of what Il has
harbored within. IL is not a pleasing
story. because a share Of the blame
belongs to the reader. Washington is
our national city. andwhether we make
Of Il a cause Tor national pride or ma
tional shame. We are doing il. Wash
ington is not TO blame. Il has no
voice IN the matter. Congress alone
has. So. II the reader is Inundated,
as was. by the showing that nowhere
Is there a death rate to be found like
that II the colorcd babies in the back
alleys Of the national capital. we shall
have In that. perhaps. a working basis
Tor better things. since whatever Of
public opinion is needed 10 work a
change must come from the outside.
How urgent the need Of is coming Of
that ! saw many proofs. The one !
mentioned ought 10 be enough. But
there was a straw that hoatcd with IN,
current that day which ! feel like send
ing along to keep it company. They
had opened two Fairgrounds the sum
mcr before. one Tor white and one Tot
colorcd chidrtn. And this was IN,
record. was told the colorcd people
paid for their own. the white did not
/ They had to be hclpcd.
II Is not hard to understand, then
why the tuberculosis death runs high
OF why Judge Linscy finds the capita
making a bad showing in the mattel
II the children. why compulsory ctlu
cation Is no, yet a fact In the distric
Of Columbia. why thcy have NO law
against child labor. and much else that
is wrong.
Commissioner Macfarland tells VI
that the unfayorablc conditions as {,
housing are limited % eompaNtivcl
small area and easy 10 deal with. An,
- Il Is with an the rcst Il Is a. cas-!
10 wipe out foul alley as 10 make
beautiful "circlc." II Il does no
excite o. much admiration. Il ma!
head on sorruw AMI misery that wouk
morc than outweigh that, For III
uslilcncC that roys forth from III
neglected alley rccs far and ncithc
wealth nor authority has power &
stay it.
Thcc are not gooi words 10 h
spok,n " our national capital, bu
th,y are ~ true " Washington as the
are Of New York and Chicago. Shal
Nc not heed their warning while u y
timcl Washington may so easily b
made the model city of the land ShaI
We let the slum grow instead, TO max
Il rcprnach to American citizenship
fur all time TO comcf