Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-19
The Alley Reform Problem.

The Alley Reform Problem.
For several years a serious effort
has been made in Washington to Sc
cure the enactment of law which
will lead to the cure of unwhelesome
alley housing conditions through the
demolition of the insanitary dwellings
in the byways of the capital and their
replacement with decent homes for the
poor at moderate rentals. A little less
than a year ago this effort eliminated,
after organization Of the various fac
tors working to this end. in the prepa-
ration of bill which went to Con-
gress with the Endorsement of the Dis
trict Commissioners, providing for the
accomplishments of both objects. Mrs.
Wilson, the wife of the President. had
become greatly interested in the prof.
ect, with warm desire to improve
the living conditions of the alley dwell
ers of Washington. and was unques-
tionably an influential element in the
successful preliminary work leading
up to the submission of the matter in
concrete form to Congress. No action,
however, was taken by either House
or Senate on the bill, which upon ex-
animation proved to contain, to some
minds, difficulties Of practical nature
that required careful study for elimi-
nation correction.
A few hours before Mrs. Wilson's
death, this summer, she expressed the
wish that the alley legislation might
be enacted before she died. There was,
unhappily, no time to crafty this wish.
for death came too quickly, and her
hope remained as legacy which tho
Senate promptly honored by passing a
bill in the nature of substitute for
that which had been submitted by the
Commissioners as the result Of the in
designations and proposals Of the citi-
zens with whom Mrs. Wilson had CO.
operated. In the House the matter
was held for the possible correction OF
the faults which were recognized In
both the original and the substitute
measures. Finally action became de.
sirable, and last Monday IL was had,
but unfortunately plan of those OPP
posed to certain features of the Senate
bill, to adopt substitute which would
necessarily throw the whole subject
into conference for a final satisfactory
shaping failed through the adoption OF
q virtually Identical substitute for the
Senate bill, by vote of twenty-th
to eight, far less than q quorum. The
Senate yesterday accepted the House
substitute in lieu of its own enact
ment, and the measure now awaits
the signature of the President, whose
approval, in view of the history of the
legislation, can hardly be in doubt
1t is now pointed out that the bill
awaiting approval will confiscate APP
proximately 100000 of alley prop
erty without compensation and will
throw into serious question the right
to use for house rental purposes a
vastly larger volume of property ad-
jacent to existing alleys. AS to the
constitutionality of the measure grave
doubt is expressed. 1t is declared,
Furthermore, that the bill now going
TO the White House is not the bill In
which Mrs. Wilson and the citizens
who were proud to have her as an
associate in the philanth-opic effort te
amellorate the condition Of the poor OF
Washington were interested, and that
it makes no provision whatever for the
rehousing of the alley jewellers whom
1T will evict from their present homes
If this bill becomes a law it fortu-
nately leaves period of four years
before it becomes effectively operative,
and thus margin of time remains in
which to accomplish its amendment by
later legislation. The District wants a
practicable. equitable alley law, cur
ing the existing evils which are unde-
niable: preventing their regrowth and
providing surely for the wholesome
housing of the jewellers now living In
the alleys, who must find homes else
where if their present homes are de-
stroyed. These reforms must, however,
be accomplished without imposing
upon the property owners Of Washing
ton an negotiable burden through the
virtual confiscation of their property
without compensation. On the other
hand, they should not impose a bur-
densome debt upon the District. That
a way can be found to meet the situa-
tion. through the correction Of pres
emit evils and the provision of proper
homes for the poor. is not to be doubt
ed, and If the pending bill is approved
IT should be regarded merely "a be-
ginning of a reform, to be effectively
secured through later enactments, In
season to prevent the distressing prop
erty confiscation now threatened with
out the urgently necessary accompanf-
ment of decent home provision for the
evicted alley jewellers.