Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-27
FFFORTS MADE
TO RECLAIM
PEST SPOTS
JUDGE WORKS DESCRIBES CON-
DITlONS IN COURTS
APPEAL MADE IN BEHALF OF
BENEVOLENT FUND
President of Council, in Address to
City Club, Says Places Are Breed
ing Ground for Ill and Be-
coming Typical Slums

A stirring appeal for money for tht
benevolent fund, which he was chiefly
instrumental in establishing as a par
of the citys work, was made in an ad-
dress by Judge John d. Works to the
City club yesterday. Judge Works
graphically described the courts,
where the poor foreign population ir
Los Angeles chiefly live, ana which the
benevolent fund is designed to remedy
Judge Works declared that $1,000
was needed at once, and in order to Sc
cure the money he asked the members
of the City club to contribute to the
fund.
On his own responsibility he has
written $50 or 200 letters. which he will
send to prominent citizens, asking
them to contribute to this fund. This
letter was read by Judge Works yes
terday to the City club. It is as
follows:
Appeal to Citizens
Los Angeles, Cal, Feb. "a 1910
Dear Sir: l am writing this let
ter to you and number of others
to ask you and them to contribute
of your means to fund of the city
treasury, known as the benevolent
fund. This fund has been estab
lished by the present city council
to aid the playground commission
and housing commission of the city
in their work.
We have in the city what are
known as courts" but which are
fast becoming, if they have not al
ready become, ''slums'' such as the
larger cities have. In these places
are hundreds of people, men, woln-
en- and children, mostly poor and
of foreign birth, crowded together
in filthy, insanitary rooms, poorly
j l. ff.na11
without ventilation. They are in
habited by the immoral, vicious and
diseased, associated with women
and children yet innocent.
The places are plague spots,
breeders of immortality, disease and
crime. They are a menace to the
city and a reproach upon our peo-
pie They are bound to spread and
grow worse as the city grows, un-
less believers in good government
and morality come to the rescue.
Aid is not asked for the unfortu-
mates who occupy these places,
alone, but as public benefaction
for the good of the entire COM
munity.
There are hundreds of citizens
here who have grown rich because
of the advantages and prosperity
of this city. They should, and
many of them will, I am sure, be
object when the conditions are
called to their attention. AS pure
act of humanity the call for help
is imperative. If we look at it from
a mercenary point of view this city
could have no better advertisement
than the assurance that its best
citizens have voluntarily responded
to a call to supply the funds neces-
sary to Danish the slumS from the
city and supply healthy places of
abode for the poorer and dependent
classes, and the proper regulations
and inspection necessary to keep
such places clean, sanitary and
wholesome, thus guarding the city
from contagion and pestilence.
Tax Levy Limited
The city cannot do this work
from the funds derived from tax
ation the tax levy being limited by
law: and if it could, it seems to me
that the wealthier and more fortu-
nate residents of the city should
be willing to supply this urgent and
extraordinary need rather than see
taxpayers, little able to respond,
subjected to heavier and burden
some taxation. Freely ye have re-
ceived, freely give"
Will you not help to supply this
fund? 1t should have at least
100000 at once. Under reso-
public fund in the treasury, to be
paid out only on the order of the
playground commission or the hous-
ing commission. These commissions
are composed of earnest and re-
liable men and women, who are
endeavoring, without salary or other
compensation to remedy these evils.
They cannot accomplish what they
SO much desire and the city SO
much needs, with the very limited
means the city is able to devote to
such purposes.
If you desire to contribute to the
fund l will gladly receive your
contribution and see that it is
paid into the fund to your credit,
or you can pay directly to the city
treasurer with request that the
amount be credited to the benev-
olent fund.
I am asking this of you because
I know, as a public officer, that it
Is imperatively needed, IL we are
going to preserve and maintain, in
any fair degree, the health, morals
and good government of the city.
You will understand that 1 am
not making this call upon you as
public official. I have no such au-
thority. But I am sure that every
member of the present admin1stra-
tion of the city is in hearty SYM
pathy with this movement for the
betterment of our city.
Yours very truly,
JOHN D. WORKS.