Evening star., 1909-05-25
For Cleaner Washington.

In the effort to cure the ills from which
Uasb;npton is now suffering in conse-
ouence of the abuse of the cheap housing
opportunities here afforded, reilahce upon
the existing laws will lead to but STOW
ro,ress What can be accomplished
under the statutes at present Is out iiltie
compared with what remains TO De ooiie'
Commissioner Macfarland in his state
mont regarding the lessons taught py the
recent city-planning conference notes 'ha'
already something less than 2,ooo people
have been displaced from the 1nsanltary
buildings affected by the law giving the
District government the power TO remedy
certain evils by condemnation. but III
population of $4,000, of whom IL is esli-
mated 1000 live in alleys, TINS Is
small rate of gain. Nor is 1t assured that
all of these 1000 have gone to live In
cleaner, more sanitary quarters thah De-
fore. They have been evicted from thelr
old places and 1t is doubtful whether the
reouisite accommodations for them nave
been provided in strict accordance with
the proper standards Of decent living.
AS long as it remains possible for peo-
nile to live in alleys they will continue
TO do SO. A large portion OF the people
of Washington are not only contented IN
such quarters, knowing no better, but IL
in TO be feared that they actually prefer
so to live. They are gregarious class,
fond Of close association, Indifferent TO
the malodorous conditions surrounding
them. pleased to be out of direct line or
observation. A less social people would
be more readily persuaded of their dan
gers So as long as the law permits them
10 remain in the by-ways they do so, not
as victims of unfortunate necessity, but
as perfectly contented dwellers in TINS
environment.
The greatest evil is that these conditions
affect others than the immediate alley
dwellers. From these interior streets radi-
ate unwholesome influences. Disease and
crime are bred in the narrow passages
immortality hourishes there. The police
find the greater part of their work to be
done in the tenement alleys. From them
go forth many of the domestic servants,
the women who do the cooking and the
washing for the families of the capital.
No householder can feel assured Of Sc
curity from contagion when he reflects
upon the foulness which pollutes the at
mosphere in which a large percentage of
the servants Of Washington live during
half of the day.
Some of these congested inner streets
are found in closely built squares. with the
dirty. insanitary, crowded tenements
thrown close to the premises of people
who are obeying the laws Of health and
endeavoring to lead decent. wholesome.
comfortable lives. And these conditions
will remain in large measure as long as
the interior area of the square is given
over to dwellings.
This is a large problem. requiring large
treatment. The alley tenements must go,
IL Washington is to cleanse itself and
present a fair face to the world. The
fact that few tourists see the slums of
the capital is no reason for delay or
doubt as to the necessity of reform.
Washington should be clean in the inmost
recesses and not merely on the surface.
1t should have model tenements, not
wretchedly inadequate makeshifts. 1t
should permit no habitation save upon
paved. watered. severed. lighted streets.
If this change costs heavily, the expense
should be set down as an investment in
moral and physical health.
Next winter this vital question should
be laid before Congress in plain terms.
Piecemeal reform will not answer the pur-
pose. Something must be done on a large
scale to cure these evils.