The Washington times., 1914-12-12
BY ]. R. HILDEBRAND.

\ group OF Washington clubwomen
have set out to inform themselves thor
oughly On the housing situation in
Washington. They will pay special at
tention to the condition and rents of
houses for the poor
This announcement was made today
by Mrs. Louis +. Post, chairman of the
Industrial and Social Committee OF the
District Federation of Women's Clubs.
Associated with Mrs. Post on that COM
mittee are some of the best-known
clubwomen of Washington.
Mrs. Post was modest in her out
line OF the work to be done by her
committee. Its primary purpose. she
stated. is not to prove any point. to
further any propaganda. but simply
to inform the committee members Of
conditions here.
Such a survey is considered OF par
tcular Importance at this time. be-
cause the abolition OF alley dwellings
Will throw large portions OF the city's
population out Of their alley homes,
and compel them to seek homes on the
streets.
Complete Data Sought.
It is the purpose of the committee to
find whether these street homes may
be obtained for reasonable rents.
whether the sanitary conditions are IA
vorable, and how rent scales in Wash
ington correspond with prices charged
in other cities. Mrs. Post explained:
We wish to be fair in our inquiry.
We realize that rents for very poor
families sometimes are comparative
ly high because. of the difficulty of
collecting rent money. Work in the
different sections of the city has
been divided among different women,
one group taking the northeast, an
net hn- Nhn
southeast and a fourth group the
southwest.
Just what method will be taken to
gain information is a problem that
will have to be solved by the work
ers. They will determine for them
selves the best way to get accurate
information. They will obtain the
data and lay it before the COM
mittee.
l am much interested In the COM
parative rent charged white and col
ored families. All other things be-
ing equal. should like to know
whether a colored family has to
pay more rent than a white family
for q similar house
There are many other such lines
along which We may work. Please
understand We are trying to accom-
plish no revolution. but now simply
are trying to inform ourselves Of
conditions in this city. We go into
this inquiry with an open mind.
Believe Inquiry Timely.
Club women are especially interested
in the housing situation now because
OF the Borland and Pomerene bills, to
be acted upon at this session of Con-
gress, which provide for a 500 900
bond issue. to be spent at the rate Of
81 90. 100 annually. for erecting sanitary
dwellings to be leased at low rentals
to unskilled wage earners.
The need of such houses in Washing
ton has been met. IN some degree, by
the Sanitary Housing Company. which
now builds houses with capital obtain
ed on the understanding that not more
than per cent dividends have been
paid.
But the need for houses at low rent
ais already is greater than this organi-
zatIon can provide, and this need, II
was pointed out, will be greatly in
creased with the influx OF population
from the vacated alleys.
Clubwomen, especially those OF the
are taking an active part
in the furtherance of the Borland and
Pomerene measures and II is believed
the Information CLEANED by the indus
trial and social committee will shed
much light on the exact degree of need
for such provision.
In Charge of Work.