Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-13
CTTY'S 'BUREAUCRATS"
ASSAMED BY NORRIS
FOR HOUSING EVILS
Ex-Director Holds Seger, Con-
nelly and Their "Chiefs" Re-
sponsible for Disease
! Breeding Dens
RAPs CzAR OF COUNCILS

"charlie' seger. McNichol leader of the
9Th Ward. and consequently a foe to
progressive measures and legislation, is
really the autocrat OF Councils. Without
seger's consent, not a single bill can be
put through the governing body, even
though It be sponsored by McNichol or
ware.
These we're the charges made against
the late Israel Durham's henchman by
George w Norris president OF the Phila-
delphia Housing Commission and former
Director of Wharves, Docks and Ferries,
this morning in an address TO the
Women's League for Good Government in
the 7th Ward.
when the late Icy Durham died"
continued Mr.. Norris, ''he not only left
a usual WILL but also a political one,
IN which he bequeathed various things
20 various persons. To Charlie Seger
. he handed down the control of Councils,
and In Seger's hands It has remained to
the present day. McNichol and Ware
may control the county offices; they may
dictate what is what throughout the
state but even they can get nothing
through Councils until Seger assents.
Therefore, It is necessary that Seger be
eliminated from Councils, that he be de-
feated here in the 7th Ward, so that his
control may be broken"
Mr.. Norris also charged that both Seger
and John p. Connolly chairman of the
Finance Committee OF Councils, broke
promises they had made to Governor
Brumbaugh. He said that they had as
sured the Governor that IL the 1911 hous-
ing code were repealed and the 1918 code
passed by the Legislature they would see
to II that Councils passed the necessary
funds to continue the good work of the
Housing Commission before they re-
cessed for the summer months. Seger
Is the axe, Connolly the rapier Of the
organization" said Mr.. Norris.
what Is the result?" asked Mr.. Nor
ris. 1--WE received an appropriation of
10000 where we ought to have had $780,
0OO at the least; we should have a mini
mum of 100 inspectors and we have now
but 5S. over in Russia, am told, thou
sands upon thousands of Russian SOL
diers are being sent to the front and are
being slaughtered through lack of am
munition. This is the fault of the bu-
reaucrats in office. 1 ask you whether
the political bureaucrats here in Phila-
delphia who are causing crime, disease
and death through the perpetuation of
vile housing conditions have not their
prototypes in Russia?
mo one can deny there are bad hous-
ing conditions here and no one can deny
these conditions are bound to breed vice,
immortality and disease 1t is largely
due to these conditions that the hospitals,
jails and similar institutions are filed"
The former director then said that
figures show the 7th Ward to be the worst
in regard to housing conditions in the
city. The Housing Commission in the last
nine month, according to Mr.. Norris, has
entered 1W7 complaints against the vile
conditions in Seger's ward; of these but
S29 have been corrected, while 74s. or more
than two-thirds, are still unremedied.
The fact that these defects are still in
the same condition is not due to lack of
interest, said Mr.. Norris, but to the in
sufficient force of employees at the dis
posal of the commission.
Mr.. Norris then pointed out that the
death rateEin. the 7th Ward was so per
cent. higher than in the city as a whole;
that the infant mortality was double that
of the city rate and that tuberculosis
among Seger's subjects was more than
double the mortality in the city.
Mrs. Edward G. McCollin presided at
the meeting, which was held at the resi-
dence of Mrs. George d. Parrish, 313
South 10th street. George D. Porter and
the rest of the Franklin party ticket were
doomed at the meeting.