The Washington herald., 1910-03-29
OFFICES ARE SCORED
Women of Civic Federation
Urge Cleaning Up.
INSPECTION BILL IS ENDORSED
Attorney General wickersham, Sur
geon General stokes, and Commits
sfoner Judson Attend Meeting Of
Welfare Department at Home of
Mrs. Meyer, Wife of Navy Secretary.

The woman's welfare department Of the
National Civic Federation held meeting
at the residence Of Mrs. Meyer, wife of
the Secretary of the Navy, in Scott Cir
Gle. yesterday afternoon, and Endorsed the
bill introduced in the Senate by Senator
Burton, OF Ohio, and in the House by
Representative Olcott, of New York,
asking for the creation of a sanitary IN
spection system and relief from over
crowded and unhealthful conditions in
government Offices.
More than fifty representative women
OF the Capital, many OF them prominent
socially, were present. presided over by
Mrs Samuel Spencer. president of the
womens welfare department. Attorney
General Wickersham. Surg. Gen. Stokes
of the navy. and Commissioner Judson
were among those who attacked the pres
ent plan of caring for government clerks
Jail Conditions Scored.
The Attorney General devoted himself
especially TO conditions at the city jail,
declaring Washingtonians and Congress
should be awakened TO a realization that
the Capital OF the nation has the poorest
accommodations for prisoners. He said
every cell in the jail is sometimes crowd
cd, and that outside Of the congested
quarters, sanitary arrangements are poor.
He advocated appropriations for tenn
porary enlargement of the jail. event
ually a larger and better-equipped build
ing. He also suggested that the work
house be used in times Of unusual con-
gestion
DIR. Stokes went after the department
buildings with hammer and tongs. He
asserted the government is daily losing
money through the iHefficiency Of its
clerks made i'll through stuffy quarters,
poor ventilation. common drinking cups,
and overcrowding He said II is a dis
grace to Congress, and that there should
be no dissenting voice when the Burton
OlcOtt measure comes TO a vote.
"A thorough system Of sanitary IN
spection. by competent inspectors, he
said. would undoubtedly remedy these
conditions. There is at present no at
tempt az scientific sanitation in many of
the department Offices. and the result is
a lowering OF the efficiency Of the ONCE
FORCES tE SoNlbkliifro dS ttL0Nu 40 - 80
cent through chronic illnesses and tempo
rary ailments
COmmends WOmen's Work,
"Congested quarters and bad air. not
10 mention drinking cups used by all
alike, are natural aids 90 the contraction
Of headaches. bad lungs, and other III
nesses. The work taken up by the Wom-
ans Department of the Civic Federation
IS to be highly commended. and It is
practically assured that the results will
be OF the best"
Commissioner Judson offered sugges-
tons as to the way some OF the Offices
could be arranged. He concurred with
the opinions OF the military physicians
who have passed upon the conditions,
and predicted the adoption Of the bills
before Congress.
Miss Brown, OF the Young Women
Christian Association, described the
overcrowdlng in some Of the department
Offices. and said the entire force Of gov
eminent clerks IN Washington are seek
ing Improvement. \ letter was read from
DR.. Wyman, Of the Marine Hospital
Service, indorsing the stand Of the Civic
Federation