The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-23
PROPER HOMES FOR
IMMIGRANT LABORERS
National AmericaniZatiOn
Committee TO Hold HOus-
ing Competition.

In an effort to make better citizens or
the great number OF foreign workingmen
employed in small communities about
the country the National Americaniza-
ton Committee is about to hold = com
petition for plans for proper housings
for these people. The architects Of the
in the competition. which has been made
possible through the creation az a
Roosevelt American First Fund from
which \ total OF $500 has been set
aside for prize money.
II IL hoped that tho results Of this
competition will be applicable to housing
needs In any community. but they are
desired particularly 10 provide for i'm
migrant workmen and their families an
opportunity TO live according to Amer
lean standards and thereby. So far as
possible. to eliminate the evils due to the
aggregation OF large numbers Of foreign
born laborers in crowded and unsani-
'ary quarters, for II is such Quarters.
the committee declares. which prevent
any progress toward American standards
of living among foreign born laDorers
even after years of residence in America.
The competition Is divided into several
sections. The first calls for a house for
one family only and for a one family
u VI Y sfLt tuill INC uTS1s INC
second problem Is a dwelling for a.
family with -four dodgers and the third IL
Il boarding house for thirty dodgers. Two
prizes are to he awarded under each of
these headings, u first OF $500 and "A
second of 500. The competition f. to
close On June 1 and the results are 10 l.e
announced by July !.
Throughout the country new indus
tries are constantly producing new COM
munities. with the consequent need Of
supplying dwellings Tor u large number
of employees, During the last year .s-
p~ec!ally such inustrial communities
have been created with phenomenal ra-
pidity. Towns Of 500 have grown into
towns OF 10000 within 4 half years
time. Men flock by thousands to places
where there are plenty Of joins but no
dwellings. 4 large percentage of these
workinen are immigrants. who nave no
way OF creating American standards of
living for themselves. II such standards
are not provided for them. and insisted
upon. groups OF Immigrant workmeu are
bound TO follow European standards of
living and customs. vitality affecting the
social health and prosperity. The COM
lnunity that results from these con-
dttions cannot be an American COM
munity.
The committee in charge OF this com
petition finds that most Industrial COM
munities of the country in which immi-
grants are a considerable percentage of
the population are now characterized by
separate quarters for foreign workmen,
with all kinds of makeshift or other
wise NIT dwellings and distinctly un-
American OF living. This COM
mittec believes that these conditions are
due largely. TO the fact that not enough
attention has been paid to the subject,
and that plans and suggestions nave not
been Immediately available to meet the
sudden and peculiar housing needs that
result from the rapid clustering Of towns
around industries.
The purpose of the competition is to
produce good and economical plans for
low cost dwellings. which may be used
az standard types in the work of the
rational characterization committee in
directing the attention OF manufacture
ers, property owners and municipalities
to the Importance OF the problem and the
factors constituting 1t. and to provide
definite indications for the solution OF
the particular problems which may be
presented.
The housing competition committee .ir
charge OF the contest includes, ]. q
~Schmidlapp. chairman Chester II. AID.
rich. vice-chairman John Ihlder. secre,
tary; Mrs. Vincent Aston. Grosveno,
Atterbnry. Mrs. Albion Fellows Bacon
Charles w. Baker. James r.. Brady
owen Brainard. Il. C. Brown. C.. l.
Close. u. L. Corthell, George A. Cullen
Mrs. william Bayard Cutting, Mis-.
Emily w. Dinwiddie. Gano Dunn, ed
ward T. Hartman. DR.. Caroline Hedger
j. Willard Helburn, Frances A.. Kellor
Morris Knowles. c. Grant LA Fargo
John l.. Mauran, r. r. Parsons. Charlie,
Raymond. Calvin ". Rice ana Mrs
Johanna Won Wagner.
The Judges OF the competition will b.