Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-12
2IIS' WAR BEGAN
HOUSING REFORM IN
NEW YORK; NOT HERE
oublicist's Book Describes a
Famous Conference in
This City to Consider
Evils of Tenement Districts

War Has Just Begun" wrote the late
Jacob A. Riis, two years ago. after maxi
nR survey OF Philadelphias unvent-
tied, windowless. bathtubless and filthy
noments
Mr. Ris for years waged a battle with
pen against the insanitary tenements
New York. Many OF his suggestions
.arding proper living conditions were
opted by the health authorities of New
ori.
When Mr.. Riis wrote "War Has Just
Begun" he referred to certain conditions
which the new Division of Housing and
Sanitation would help to eliminate if that
department were granted appropriations
by Councils finance committee
The Division of Housing and Sanitation
was, created by act Of Legislature more
than a year ago. Governor Tener signed
the act. AS vet Councils finance commit
tee has not seen 1T to grant the necessary
appropriation OF S2l3i 10. Many members
OF tile committee who are dual office
holders have declared themselves as being
opposed to the act saying the new hous-
ing law is too severe and too drastic.
RIIS' STORY OF MEETING HERE.
Mr. Riis' story, War Has Just Begun"
begins with the organizing of the Ma
tional Housing Association several years
ago He refers to the second annual con-
ference of that body held in this city.
Mr. Ris, discussing Philadelphia condi
tions. said in part:
"They came from far and near. from
20 States and 50 cities and from across
the border of Canada. The Dominion
Government sent a representative and so
did the Public Health Service of the
United States Health officers without
number took notes. Chambers OF Com
merce sent delegates and 81 housing COM
missions in as many communities.
when they all got together they
owned to common stake in the war
upon the common enemy. There Is not
a growing town in the United States that
does not know the slums,' they de-
clared, and the health officer Of Toronto
added that to deny its existence was to
admit lack of investigation.
"If any community had kept 1t out 1t
might be supposed to be William Penn's
town, for he built It with the ideal in
mind OF n wee small bit of green grass
In every dooryard' to beguile his people
into the belief that they were still in
the country. That was why the dele
gates had come here; but they had not
been awheel 90 minutes before they were
In worse sum than most OF them had
seen in many a day.
THE Philadelphians took them straight
to the old quarters where nasty alleys
abound and showed them tumbledown
tenements, maladorous cesspools, un-
nd ma pella 20
full of water, and when they stood
aghast they told them that there were
thirty or forty thousand vaults and cess
pools In the city, whereas on Manhattan
Island there is scarce one left.
"'eut why? chorused the delegates.
These streets was the answer, have |
no sewers or the houses are not con-
nected.'
MYSTERY OF A LAMPPosT
I'm every alley there was a lamp post
with a gasoline burner why put this
post here?' asked one of the health |
officers. The city How does it come |
that the power which put it there does |
not drain the alley, too? 1t is at least |
as important The post made no answer. |
The inquisitve official eyed 1t medita-
lively and asked another question: Who |
lights the lampT 1T Is a private cor
pride; 1t has a contract with the city
oh, said the health officer and
scratched the head of gray cat by the
hydrant
when the next day, the automobiles
rolled past miles upon miles of little
two-story houses, new and neat, and |
were told that 1900 OF these had no
sewer connection either because there
were no mains under the pavements, the
wrath of the Chief sanitary Inspector OF
Chicago found vent in ethe exclamation:
Then why don't you get them? We can
tell you the way in Chicago. Not a
house let them build till there are sewers
in the streets""