Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-22
IMPROVEMENT OF
CITIES SOUGHT
CITY PLANNING CONGRESS WILL
MEET SOON IN WASHING
TON, D. C.
washington Bureau of
The Ottumwa Daily Courier,

Washington, D.. c., May 81.
To improve both esthetic and san
itary conditions in American cities is
the purpose with which the National
congress on city planning will meet
in this city May 81 to 30 inclusive. In
addition to general consideration Ct
the subjects suggested by the title Of
the organization, there will be a most
interesting feature in an exhibit of
city planning work, showing what has
been and is being done all over the
world in this line.
Until very recent years it has been
charged that American cities have
given too little attention to scientific
planning and development. The great
cities and many of the lesser ones OF
continental Europe have been largely
lreorganized and to a great extent re.
built in the last generation on scien-
tific lines. American cities have been
rebuilt in the new and wonderful
steel frame skyscraper structures; but
it is charged that the revolution has
not been entirely for the improve
ment of living conditions. The ten
dency has been to greater and greater
congestion of population in restricted
areas of American cities, at the verv
time when European municipalities
have been taking effective steps to inn
prove conditions in this regard.
Quite recently there has been a new
development of interest in these mat
tiers in America, and it is hoped the
coming congress will give this move
ment an impetus it has lacked here
tofore.
No LnI s,,1n IN r
group of New York men who consid-
cred whether the evils of modern
living conditions in cities were not
amenable to prevention as we'll as
ours. They inquired, What have
cities in this and other countries I'M
dertaken to this end? Nobody could
answer A fund of $4,000 was raised
and with it has been brought together
the exhibit showing what other cities
in other countries have done by way
Of forethought for their future.
Charts and models are used to IL
lustrate what may be done to pre-
vent congestion, slums, spread of dis
ease: to assure advance provision Of
parks and breathing spaces, and to
have houses built on lines that shall
assure the best possible sanitary and
moral conditions and yet be rented at
| figures within the reach of the poor.
The exhibit demonstrates most effec-
lively that American cities are sadly
in the rear of the procession of pro-
gress.
The program Of the convention and
exhibit includes an address by Presi-
dent Taft, who will hold the gavel
at the opening session; the chief
speech at that session will be by Sur
| geon-General Sternberg on the work
of President Roosevelt's Homes Com
mission.
Benjamin G. Marsh, secretary of the
national committee, will speak on
World Progress in City Planning,
giving illustrations of the work in
many cities of various countries.
Glenn Brown will speak on "The
Park Commission Plans for Washing
tom and General Sternberg or
Housing Conditions in Washington, ;
CITY Planning in Relation to Tuber-
culosis" will be discussed by William
H. Baldwin
The patrons of the exhibit and con
vention include leading sociological
workers all over the country. Presi
dents Eliot of Harvard, Faunce o1
Brown, and other educators; Cass
Gilbers, president of the American In
stitute of Architects; Mrs vladimir
Simkhovitch and Henry Morgenthau
members of the New York committee
on congested population; Jane Ad
dams of Hull house, Chicago; Rober
w. DeForest, president of the New
York Charity Organization society
Everett Colby of New Jersey ant
{ many others Of like prominence II
the work, will take part in the pro
! ceedings.
J. G. Welliver.