The Washington times., 1910-07-21
Millions Needed for 'Puri-
hers" Rather TEan for
"Beautihers. "
HEALTH OF PUBLIC
IS GREATEST NEED

that was to Be seen. and II has been a
revelation 20 me. I have seen rooms
with half dozen or more people living
IN them I have seen buildings that
would be condemned and torn
down in London If they were
Inhabited only by coster's donkey.
walls tumbling down floors rot
ten. ceilings and walls falling in. lit
tie trLrds and outbuil6ings filed with
rubbish and dirt. and absence OF all
sanitary arrangements. Within q stone
throw OF the British embassy. in an al
lev there are novels that are not n for
pigs 70 live in Within the shadow of
the Capitol there are others. On Fac
tory Hill and IN the holes around the
canal in Georgetown there are frightful
places tull OF 9Th and the direst pow
ertv. where disease and crime must
breed rapidly The people Of the city
should know OF such places. They should
be aroused 10 conditions ttat are u
I'VE think we can relieve our visitors
mind, said the Post. in at least one
respect BIZ assuring him that the COndi-
lions TO which he refers are matters Of
common knowledge in Washington The
authorities are perfectly aware CT All
the situation explained 70 them fre-
Quently IN the past The subject has
been publicly discussed dozen times
within half as many years, until every
Z
reds Of filthy. unSanitary novels Inc
cur alleys, SWarmlng with miserable
creatures. five SIX even eight IN a
room. under circumstances which for
bid the thought Of health morality. or
common civilization Some day. per
hays, the fruits and Influences If our
/ local pest holes VIII demand attention
AZ the Capitol
Jacob Riis Investigates
In December. 1913, M jacob \. Ris,
+ Investigated the Washington Sums and
/ declared that they were worse than any
he had seen in New York city or the
{ FVhitechapeI district Of London
4 on the night Of December -, address
inE an audience that densely packed
/ the First Congregational Clurch. he
/ said
! Il am not easily discouraged But I
Z confess I was surprised by the sights
I have seen In tie National Capitol
You people Of washington have alley
[ after alley filed with people you know
nothing about There are -sz such al
leVs- They tell me the death date
I among the negro babies born in these
I alleys Is 90 OFT Of q thousand before
+ they grow 10 be one year old Nearly
{ one-half- Nowhere Z have ever been
/ En- the civilized world have I heard Of
[ a death rate ike that Why, I have
never seen places Ike those you have
To hight your sIumS you ough- first
Z o. all 10 acquire the right TO deal with
/ the evil man who insists on numbering
I your babies. But you are sure 10 rU0
{ against the old CRY Of Property Rights
I Cne-haf your children die ia novels be-
I fore theE reach the age OF one ear. De-
[ cause the owners would rat ler have
I > per cent profit than save tnt'r SOUS
Z For such a condition. there's no de-
2 Tense = here does the blame .-eZ WITH
{ me owners Of the Sums. you vii ZTob-
I ably say But IL lies equally with the
I community which permits such 4
I shameful and sinful condition Of affairs
+ TO exist within its bs-ders-
/ Condition Unparalleled
/ The Times. in its report OF the meet
ing addressed by Nr. Riis. said:
This Indictment OF community
/ which has no sums this astounding
! disclosure OF a condition not paralleIeG
/ tv the squaIor OF New York or London.
or Paris. was the key last night 10 one
{ Of the most remarkable meetings held
[ In Washington IN many years II was
the judgment OF trained mind oe-
; iivered after a trip through the Capital
and expressed with manly courage and
I pain speech 70 an assembly OF repre-
; sentative Neutrality-suspicious.
Under nose recent ere, The
Times. in an extended editorial on
slum conditions, said
a. The thing needed here is
fsuch an education Of the commercial
instinct that owners Of houses IN the
poorer neiEhbOrhOods viii cease 70
expect Extraordinary percentages in
t-he5r fnveSsments It has been
tproved by investi cation thar the poor
3 can be comfortably housed in clean,
/ sanitary dwellings which VIII pay
from 70 10 per cent on the invest
-usut Il well naEed- L has also
been ascertaiued that the profits on
much OF the old-faShioned tenemen;
and shanty property ran from 10 &c
20 per cent, and even higher This
means that few properly owners