Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-10
Should Make City Healthy.

'Washington is not a business city
not manufacturing city. 1t is simply
the capital Of the nation. We ought to
be proud Of the kind Of citizens we have
here and We ought to see to it that 'un-
desirable citizens be kept out. The civil
service rules have done much to keep
away from Washington an undesirable
set OF hungry office seekers.
I'VE ought to make Washington as
healthy as possible. 1t is not as healthy
place in which to live as it ought to
De; IN fact, many of our cities are bet
ter Off in this respect than Washington,
as We can find when we compare vital
statistics. OF course, it has been pointed
out that we have large colored popula-
ton here, and that the death rate among
the colored people is higher than among
the white. But even taking into consid-
GRAFTON only the white population of
Washington the death rate is higher thar
In number Of other cities.
Tine nigh death rate among the colored
people here is due to the fnsanitary con-
ditions in which they live and poor food.
Does 1t show civic pride on our part to
zens remain twice as high as among the
white people here. when We could prevent
this by taking proper steps?
Epidemic Would Affect All.
IF an epidemic broke out among the
colored people 1t would not stay among
them, but would spread to every part OF
the city. Are We to allow one-third OF
the population to continue to live in in
sanitary conditions, a menace to the rest
Of the city? The Panama Canal Zone
which used to be the most unhealthy
place in the world, is now the most
healthy, because Of the rigid rules for
sanitation. The coolies there live in
stead Of dying, as they used to do, by the
hundred.
I'VE could clean up here at small ex-
pense. You don't have to live in q palace
You ought to show the people here the
way to be clean, and then force them to
keep clean.
You can't blame Congress for condi.
tions here. Cleaning up has never beer
made a political issue. The people have
never ordered the members of Congress
| to cause a cleanup throughout the coun.
try. And the cleanup will never come
until it is made political issue. Some
day it Is going to be political issue
schedule X Of the tariff make? It's the
dirty alleys that do matter.
Political Parties Alike.
There is no difference in the politica.
parties now. as I see them, except that
one is in and the other wants to get in
| I want to join a party which stands for
pure food and sanitation. I.wish 1 were
Congress, the judiciary and the execu-
tive for one year. wouldn't ask a
second term.
AT present I want to know the family
history Of every oyster I eat here. Yet
this city. its food supplies and sanitary
| conditions should be models for the rest
Of the country. This should be the
healthiest city in the country. Why, ]
remember that q few years ago the ap.
preparation for chemical and bacteriologi.
cal examinations in this city was the
wonderfully large sum of 800. 1 think
it is a little better now, perhaps $780,
1--WE have allowed houses to be built
close to one another, preventing proper
ventilation and light. Why. even out in
Kansas City, which is not the capital OF
the nation. and is not even in Kansas
they don't allow the houses to be lam
med up against each other as they dc
here.
Manufactures Not Wanted.
you do not want manufactures in
Washington. This is not q manufacturine
city in any sense of the term. It is
the Capital of the United States, not a
place to make shoes. 1t should be a
model, residential CITY, Manufactures
have no place in any CITY,, in fact. They
should be built In the open country, with
plenty Of light and air around them. and
around the homes of the people who work
In them. l have the greatest sympathy
Tor the laborer who works in q factory