The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
Banquet Given to Delegates
at Raleigh Hotel.
SPEAKERS DISCUSS THE CITY
Yrs. V. 3. simkOviteh, Speaker Can
non, and Commissioners MaefarIand
Among Those Delivering Addresses.
Life in Jones Street, New York,
Sketched by One Residing There.

--tS AoL lNo G1ySs came 20 an END laSl
alght by a complimentary dinner TO the
Delegates by the washington patrons OF
he enterprise The banquet was held
Ia the large han Of the Raleigh Hotel.
amid ne exhibits OF the conference
hanging about the four walls Of the
room and upon temporary alc0ves at
sach end OF the hall. The dinner was at
tended By about Is delegates and guests
md passed on very pleasantly.
Allen D. Albert acted as toast master
and several speakers set forth some OF
the objects sought by city planning and
described some OF the problems confront
ng the work OF providing properly for
he housing accommodations Of poor
families II the crowded sections OF the
great cities.
Describes Life in New York
The first speaker was Mrs. Y. S. Sim
kovitoh. who gave an interesting talk
upon the congestion OF population in por-
uonS OF New York City and discussed
Tne-oS the socialistic and economic re-
lations Of the subject Mrs. Simkovitch
described a scene recently 'enacced in
Of Robin Hood was enacted in the open
street and an audience OF LOO people
viewed it. mostly from their door steps
and upstairs windows. The street-clean-
ing department made the roadway in one
block clean as a parlor floor for the
occasion, and the event was spoken Of as
notable one in a city OF unique enter
tainments and teeming with life made in
" rrc-
gle and strain which attends the crowd
ing Of millions OF people into a restricted
area
Mrs. Sinkovitch spoke OF Jones street
as only comparatively crowded. inasmuch
as there we're other portions Of the ne
tropolis with nearly twice as many peo-
pie to the square In Jones street. in
some cases. five persons are sheltered in
one room. while in other places ten and
twelve occupy similar space she denied
the statement that poverty or disease are
ne causes OF congestion
Congestion Causes Disease.
Mrs Simkovitch gave an illustration Of
family in Jones street al the bottom Of
he ladder, the father unemployed. the
wife discouraged. the daughter a victim
Of tuberculosis. and a baby similarly az
aicted- Friends intervened. took the fam
ny 70 the suburbs. where il was better
-oUsed and had better air and food. The
-sther braced UP, secured work. and be-
-ame Wage-eaTner- hopeful and cheer
tuL The mother took rev interest IN life
zld kept her house in order and became
better mother 20 her children The
laughter consented 20 90 20 a sanatoriun,
ano the condition OF the family is now
rot only changed. but essentially bright
sneo Here. Mrs. Simkovitch declared
vas case where the congestion Of popu-
lation was the cause OF Illness and nor-
sTty, and nOt the reverse
The speaker touched uno7 the so,,s7
see OF the crowded conditions in cjtiss
o. saying that poor people desired 70 live
II cities for much the same reasons as
he T.ch. The excitement OF the cirv az
pee1ed 70 ne young people as well as the
pa ConFenlences, such as water in the
mousse gas and easy housekeeping. are as
agreeable TO the poor as 20 the rich.
Do Not Like Country.
She declared that II was not enough n
say that the place for these people was
n the country. but for the landlord. can
italist and philaathropist to make The
suburbs OF the country as convenient and
as pleasant as the city, II It Is exDects5
nat people shall stay there. TIE bur,s,
being IS gregsrious. and that exnlss-.
Why people crowd the cities.
Mrs. SiTnkovitch declared thar +bA ,-oh-
lens surrounding the subject are So |
geflhg n tAeir vastness. and that when
tne true causes OF congestion are learned |
= VII not oe possible 10 renova rber,
% S1apt circumstances 10 n the eo,-
o4t'on II day. She said II WouId tala
many years 70 DO that She thought tEa
IorS-oistanee plan was 70 get q 1argo
part OF the population OF the citv baoI, |
70 the country, when ARRANGEMENTS rosz-
nave been completed by way Of tra7si.
faculties and other conveniences 70 7,sls
ne en0uraoie there The short-distance
pan Is TO be found in means TO lower tbe /
rental OF houses 70 II the means oP fbe
poor. TO make such houses ssni,ary, 80
haoiLa0le N the better sense Of the word
and 70 provide work for the unemplors5 /
'UncIe Joe" Has n Word.
Hon Joseph G. Cannon was the next
speaker. He declared that he was r,Bob /
interested IN tie work Of the conference
and believed it was doing a good work b,,+
mai ne was not prepared because OF lack /
OF knoWledge 70 discuss the subjects
which would chiefly interest the de1aqo+e,
as experts in art. architecture cbsri+,, 1
dispensing. and kindred things. Mr.. Can
non said he could not address such 4 /
gathering. except in the most general
way. upon the themes uppermost in their
minds.
M Cannon ventured the suggestion /
mat one reason why the population Of 4
cites 90 not get along better is thar tbev 4
90 not 6now one another. He spoke OF 4
gong 70 chicago and asking a friend. 4
" no hVes next door?' and his friend was
unable TO tel him, excusing himself By
saying he did not know This led sTTncIa 1
Joe" back to the simple customs Of TIE
country. where everybody knows everv.
body and the questions which affect one
aIeet al, and are discussed and scte6
upon oy the wisdom arising from fire.
quent and serious discussion among
friends.
Raps Homes Commission.
Mr. Cannon paid his respects 10 the
homes commission and denied in the
strongest fashion that any good could
come from offering. or even insinuatipe
that the condition Of country people needs
help from any source He declared that
i vas the farmer in touch with thA
earth who IS the independent man. earn
ing his bread BY his own labor, without
help. or the desire OF il, from anybody.
M Cannon said that when this simple
taet could obtain IN the city and every
nan have the opportunity to labor for
AIR compensation. live honorabiy upon
he money he earned by his own hands,
snen y was that most OF the so-cailei
problems which trouble the socialist and
ne relcrmer would solve themselves.
Ar cannon deplored the custom OF
charity societies paying rent and fur
nishing supplies 10 the poor. without