Evening star., 1915-03-09
ALLEY AND LOAN LAWS
CALLED FAILURE HERE
Speakers Declare Single Tax Needed
to Better Housing Conditions
for Poor.
Wage Farmers Inability to Borrow
May Explain Increase in Thiev-
cry. Says n. J. Browne.

Recent attempts to improve socio-
logical conditions in Washington. par
,icularly through enactment of the
"loan shark" and alley laws, have ac-
complished little if anything in rails
ing the standard of living of the city's
poorer classes of wage earners. accord
ing to speakers before the Tax Re1orm
Association and Woman's Single Tax
Club at a meeting last night in the
Public Library.
Herbert j. Browne and w. d. Mac
kenzie both declared that the single
tax is the only solution of the high
cost of living problem. The former as
serted that unless something is done
TO raise the wage level in Washington
alleys, or reduce the cost of living, alley
legislation will do more harm tnaa
good. 1t is a crime. he charged. to run
teh alley dwellers out of their places or
habitation without first providing de-
cent and inexpensive houses on the
outside for them.
That petty theiving has doubled since
the passage of the loan shark law,
also was charged by MIR. Browne
While this fact may or may not De at
tributed to the legislation in question.
it is true, the speaker pointed out, that
many wage earners are without a
source of borrowing money and find
conditions more oppressive than before.
Unless something is done to provide
proper housing for the alley popuIa-
ton the vacating of alleys. as provided
for by the alley bill, Will reproduce
overcrowded and insanitary conditions
in other sections of the city, declared
Mr.. Mackenzie.
Single Tax as Remedy.
in my Judgment, he said, the
single tax is an essential factor in the
solution of our housing problem. Peo-
Iple have been forced to seek cheap
homes in the alleys because they were
obliged to live near their work, and
because the rents of dwellings, in the
streets were higher than they could
afford to pay. A material reduction In
rents can undoubtedly be brought
about by untaxing houses and shifting
the burden of taxation to land values
where it justly belongs 1t is the
speculatiye and inflated land values OF
WASHINGTON which make it SO expen-
sive to own or rent home in TINS
city The single tax would squeeze the
water out of land values and reduce
the swollen price of home sites, ana
the cost of living for nearly every
family in Washington. Under the
single tax. taxes ON the average small
home would be lower than they are
now.
| "A very practical method of inserting
i.he Thin edge of the single tax would
be the exemption of all dwellings from
taxation UP to certain lImit-say sl,3oo
so that dwellings costing si,5eo or
less would be free from taxation. ana
Ian others would be taxed on the,t
yaIue over and above that amount
Such a law would give a special stlm
,,lus to the erection OF small dwellings,
and this is precisely what is needed &c
provide an outlet for the population
Of the alleys and other congesteo
areas.
Favors Municipal Car Lines.
"In the final solution of our housing
{ problem another essential factor !:
! the public ownership of our street rail-
ways. A bill with this end in view wa:
! introduced during the last Congress b,
| Representative Robert Crosser o
| Cleveland, Ohio. AS our street r4ilwa.
companies are now paying generous Ill
| vidends on an enormous amount o
| water, it is safe to predict that unde
municipal ownership our street rail
WAYS would be able to carry passenger
out into the suburbs. where there j
| plenty of space and light and fresh air
| for fare of 9 to cents.
| When that time comes many who ar
now compelled to live within cas-.
walking distance of their work WI
have their homes in the suburbs. Thi
will tend to lower rents in the ct,
| proper, and to relieve the econornf
pressure which has been driving peopl'
! of small incomes into the alleys.
! Congress may not be ready to CIV
I us either the single tax or the publ
| ownership of street railways. The peo
pie of the District may not be read.
/ for SO advanced u program. But tn
/ fact remains that it is necessary to de
wise ways and means to provide neV
homes for the people nov in the al
leys."
| Small U. S. Wage for Women.
| Severe arrangement of the Unite'
States government for the small wage;
| 1t pays women was made by Mrs. Jen
ME Monroe, who also addressed th'
| meeting. In Washington the govern
ment is paying women as small salarie
as s25 Il month, declared the speaker.
| Il am ashamed of the government.
she concluded.
| II. Martin Williams. president of thu
! Tax Reform Association, presided.
| S---------
Finest Flowers for Weddings
and all other occasions J. ii. Smal
| 4 Sons. 18th and II, Washington; Wal
| dorf-Astoria and 1853 Broadway, N Y