New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-02
Urges AUGMENTATION of
Immigrant by Raising
Standard of Living.
OPENS COMPETITION
IN HOUSE DESIGNING
Country Must Demand Loyalty,
Tic Declares. Citing Ger
many as Example.

Make the immigrant live like an
American and he will begin TO feel like
one. This was the theory expounded
by theodore Roosevelt at n luncheon
gwen at the home Of Mrs. Vincent Aston
yesterday for the National Americana
cation Committee. Under It's suspice.
the Roosevelt America First Fund ha,
offered prizes for the best houses for
immigrant workmen.
Conditions in Hopewell, Va, which
was a cornield eighteen months ago
and now has $4,000 inhabitants. and OF
Bridgeport. wnefS they are talking OF
housing the munitions workers in the
almshouse because there are not
enough houses. have awakened the en-
ploycrs Of the country 20 the impor-
lance Of the housing problem The
Americanization Committee hopes
through TINS competition to help
solve II.
Prominent capitalists. housing eH-
pcrts and architects heard Colonel
Roosevelt speak. He declared that his
interest in the competition lay in its
practical relation to patriotism. Accord
Ing TO him, the immigrant scarcely can
be expected 10 share and love the ideal :
Of this country unless he has also n
Square dea" here in the matter Of ma
terial decency for his family.
There could be nothing more impor-
tant done. not only for the immigrant
but for ourselves, than 20 prov ide and
to insist upon an American standard OF
living" ne said. "lf could ! would
have the kind o. restriction which
would mean that ! would not allow any
immigrant 10 come here unless ] was
content that his grandchildren would be
fellow citizens of my grandchildren.
They will not be 50 II he lives IN a
boarding house at $3.50 a month with
ten other bosrders, where they con
tract tuberculosis and contribute 10
the next generation a body Of citizens
inferior not only morally and spiritual
ly, but also physically.
One Of the guests az the luncheon
was j. y. Brady l"Diamo~d Jim. who
is new 70 uplift circles, but was at
tracted 70 this function By the housing
problems confronting him in his car
works n, Butler. Penn. where war or
ders have caused an enormous increase
. IN the NUN DP1 OF WNlrlncU-
Some one who was present gave
s2.1C1. which Will ne offered in the
house planning competition. This is
divided into two groups. The IRIS Gov
ers housing plans for single family
home. for a combined family and lode-
ing house and for p boarding house
The prizes offered for this class are
First. 81. 900; second. $500, and third
fourth and NTH, 500. The second
GROUP covers plans for construction
camps. and carries prizes Of $500 and
500. The contest closes May |.
I. was revealed that Mrs. Vincent
Aetor's interest in the housing prob
,cm is the result @ IN unheralded "X-
pedition she made last summer 70 Bar
zen Island. where 900 people live.
The speakers yesterday were Frank
Trumbull. Of the Chesapeake & ONO
Railroad: owen Brsinord. Of the United
States Steel Corporation; George a
Cullen. of the Delaware, Lackawanns 4
Western Railroad; T. l.. Corthell. nresi-
dent Of the American Institute Of Con
sulting Engineers; John II. lhlder, for
mer secretary Of the National Housing
Association; DR.. Katharine Il. Davis
and Mrs Johanna Won Wagner. VINO has
been making n study OF housing con
6itions in the mushroom towns which
have sprung up since the war.
Others included Mrs. John Aston
Mrs. Harry Payne Whitney, Mrs. Will
lam Bayard Cutting. Grant La fargc
Mrs. Grant La Fargo. Morris knowles
II. /. Close. OF the United States StocI
Corporation; Colvin ". Rice. IF The
American Institute Of Mechanical En-
cIncers; Charlie ". Baker. editor OF
.Engineering News; DR.. Thomas Oar
luaton. OF the American Iron and Stee
lnstitute. Magnus Alexander OF th'
General Electric Company; Miss Emily
D;rwiddie. Mrs. Albion Fellowes Bacon
Miss Ida Tarbcll and Miss Frances A
Eellor