Evening star., 1915-01-08
SEES GOOD IN CLOSING
Of THE VICE DISTRICT
Kate Waller Barrett Further Ex.
plains Recent Remarks on
Segregated Section.
To the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
As a rule I never try to explain mis-
understandings which occur from the
newspaper reports of public addresses
which I have made. But as I am still
getting inquiries in regard to the re-
port of my address in your paper. made
before the Federation of Women's
Clubs of the District of Columbia at
the Public Library about three weeks
ago, asking If 1 really said that WASH
ington was not morally as safe since
the segregated district had been done
away with as before, feel that must
appeal to your generosity for sufficient
space to express my convictions on this
| subject.
Used Women's Expressions.
In my address I was trying to show
how difficult constructive government
was made because people, and women
particularly, could not lose sight OF
, what they conceive to be the immedi-
ate personal interests of those dear to
them and thus often defeating the ends
which they desired. I used as an ex-
ample the expressions which are con-
stantly heard from really intelligent
and decent women, who pride them
selves on their civic consciences, stat
ing that the moral conditions of Wash
ington are worse than they were when
the segregated district existed, hasing
their opinions upon idle rumors or ex-
aggerated statement made by persons
as ignorant as themselves Of true con-
ditions. I was trying to show how alb
solutely cave-like such an attitude was
and how unworthy of a logical, intelli-
gent human being That this should
have been taken as grounds for making
the statement that 1 classed myself
wi a
stretch of the imagination, especially
when taken In connection with nv
oft-expressed attitude upon the sub
ject-
/ take it that it Is Of but very little
Importance to people what think, but
1 am very glad indeed to have this
opportunity of expressing myself as
being more than satisfied with the re-
| of the segregated district in Washing
ton: Not being a particularly sanguine
individual and always making due al
| lowance for the human equation in
all matters polite, l hid expected to
| have learned of many more evasions of
the law, and also very much more out
! cry by the same class of unthinking
and Illogical persons alluded to prev1-
| ously. / think that it is nothing short
Iof q miracle that the situation has
/ thorities. and that there has been
ground for so little complaint about
| the spreading Of the social evil
Men Of Affairs Surprised.
| Men of affairs in Washington who are
thoroughly conversant with conditions
and who were not in sympathy with
| the elimination Of the segregated dis
| trict have constantly reported to me
that they have been surprised at the
ease with which the situation has been
met. and also of the negligible number
| of cases where it can be shown that
any sporadic cases of immortality are
| due to the doing away of the segre-
gated districts. 1t is also a matter Of
onsratulation that in spite of the fact,
as l am creditably informed, that a
group of prominent lawyers in the city
of Washington attempted to persuade q
woman who owned her property in the
segregated district to make q test
case of the Kenyon bill, she refused to
do 1t. and when the case was made II
had to come from reputable sources.
these women who owned property in
the district was dependent upon their
nefarious trade, and the depreciation
of the value Of their property in many
instances had doubtless meant great
hardships none of them was found
willing to try and overthrow the law.
rms proves the truth of the opinion
that ! have always held Of such peo-
ple-that they would not be law
breakers except for the false standards
Of society which makes such law
breaking permissible.
i KATE WALLER BARRETT.