Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-05
FOR MODEL HOMES
TO REPLACE SLUMS
Merely Pulling Down Latter Is
of No Benefit, Declares
Thomas Adams.
"EVILS AND CURES MUST
BE TAKEN UP TOGETHER"
Federation of Women's Clubs Hears
Views of the English Hous-
ing Expert.

The true citizens of Washington re-
gard themselves as the trustees or
their fellow-citizens throughout the
United States. declared William II.
Singleton. president of the Washing
ton Board of Trade. introducing Thorn
as Adams. the English housing expert,
who addressed the Federation Of Wom-
ems Clubs at the Public Library this
morning. Mrs. Ellis Logan. president
of the federation. turned the meeting
over to Mr.. Singleton. who presided
Sometimes there is rather caustfo
criticism of the people Of Washington,
said Mr.. Singleton. I'VE are sometimes
called provincial. 1t is said that we
we know that is not so. We know
that we are aiming to do the things
we are doing for Washington for the
benefit of the whole country. not only
live in the capital of the nation regard
ourselves as the trustees of our fellow
citizens throughout the country. Not
only are we glad when our fellow-citi-
zens come here to Washington, but we
are glad when a cosmopolitan citizen
comes here" he declared, introducing
Mr.. Adams.
II would remind those who say that
you are a provincial people, said Mr..
Adams. in opening his remarks on Eng
fish Experience in the Housing OF the
People,, that we In England today are
training our young men in the life and
spirit Of the ancient nation that made
much of city life.
Washington ian Industrial City"
washington is an industrial city,"
was the rather startling statement the
speaker next made. and Immediately
explained his meaning. THE industry
of Washington is the management of
the affairs of the nation. You cannot
distinguish, in industry, between Pitts
burgh and Washington. One makes steel
and the other laws. And the lowliest
citizen in Washington is helping to
make laws that are to mold the destiny
of this great empire.
II mean the destiny of this United
States" Mr.. Adams added, smilingly,
correcting his use of the term 'em-
pre-
The speaker declared that the hous-
ing problems of Washington require
special considerations peculiar to the
conditions here, and said that by town
planning he meant not merely the lay
ing out of a great city, but determining
all the factors that constitute city life.
He said that the family is the true
unit of civic life, and declared that
women therefore must have a great
part to play in true town planning.
1.-THE bad conditions already existing
in slum districts, and the prevention
of these evils in the future" asserted
the speaker. must be dealt with to-
gether Although both conditions re-
quire special remedies, the remedying
of them must be proceeded with stimuli
taneously.
1--WE have found that the pulling
down of slums is not solution of the
problem in itself. II you pull down
slums and do not build model homes
in their stead. you only create slums
somewhere else, and leave property
not earning
Separate Home the Ideal.
"Our ideal for the housing of the
is the separate home. Our ideal is the
cottage in the garden. however far
short we may fall of the ideal through
political and economic necessity. The
housing question is so bound up with
the whole life of a city that it cannot
be uprooted from city life. but is one
of those things fundamental in city
planning. 1t is not merely a question
of sentiment, but one of human eff
cheney.
BY improving the transportation
facilities around our cities in England
we are able to create colonies for peo-
pie who were compelled formerly to
live close to their work Although this
compels men to travel certain distances
every day, and lose the money of so
travelling, still there is a greater gain
In health and beauty of life"
Mr.. Adams told of the housing laws
OF England, how they operate to re-
move large slum areas, to clear small
slum areas and provide adequate homes
for the people. He declared that the
laws of England are enforced.
You in this country haven't the diff
ficulty of a large slum area left you
by your ancestors" he said. land there
fore ] think your responsibility is the
greater to see to it that you do not
leave such an heritage to those who
come after you
Mr.. Adams will speak tomorrow aft
ernoon at 3 o'clock at the Masonic
Temple for the benefit of the Belgian
relief fund.