Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-23

that permit shacks that cannot help
hut breed disease. There is no nee1,
they say, to make invalids of whole
families simply because they haven't
money enough to pay high rents.
Guided by John Yates, secretary or
the Associated Charities, Tele-
graph reporter yesterday visited sew
eral sections of the city where living
conditions are such that descriptions
of them necessarily seem like eXag-
gerations. Children are being raised in
shanties under conditions such as ab-
solutely makes it impossible for them
TO reach maturity without mental,
moral or physical deformities.
In the southern section of the city
a woman and twelve children We're
found existing in a shamble that has
no roof but the blue sky. When the
slxy isn't blue, the rain pours through
the ceiling into the only bedroom for
the entire family. Uttered about the
table were the remains of scanty
dinner and perhaps still scantler
breakfast. The water system or the
house is broken and the family Is
forced to go almost block Tor water
At another home on filthy litter
in the corner of a two-room house,
the shadow of what was once a
stalwart Boy in Blue, lies waiting the
end. Years of confinement with a dis
eased leg gave the White Plague q
chance to start it's deadly work, A
daughter who was once little GRIM
son shadow, now diseased with the
Black Plague, attempts to minister to
the old mans wants. OF course, there
are always children. Two wan-faced
little girls, their pinched cheeks tell
the story of the fast advance of the
White Destroyer, because they never
had a chance to live away from the
conditions that breed disease.
Wherever bad living conditions
were found, moral conditions were
correspondingly bad. In some sections
of the city, men and women of every
color and race live together promis.
cuously with no legal bond.
''When a family is reduced in cir
cumstances and moves into a poorer
locality, Immediately living standards
are lowered said Mr.. Yates. Il have
seen the same thing happen again and
again. I have known families hard
working and respectable maintain the
best of standards in a decent COM
munity. But let an accident happen
TO the breadwinner, or the family
move into poorer, cheaper quarters.
Immediately environment begins its
work. Standards of living and morals
are so lowered that in q few months
they have reverted to plane equal
to their forced associates
Everywhere and always Mr.. Yates
was recognized. No loafer or hard
guy is too hardened to have a
"howdy do for his friend. Forced
to paas through narrow passa ageway
where half a dozen ruffians were talk
ing over the last drunk together, Mr..
Yates was Immediately recognized.
Detaching himself from the group
one of them approached him and laid
n OBTAINING hand on his arm. Looking
up into his face, he said in a husky
voice:
"They say you are going to leave
us. Mr.. Yates. Well. don't go. will You?
Why 1 wouldn't have anyone. to try
to live straight for If you were gone.
] don't always do it yon know. but !
always keep trying and some time
will succeed"
Two little girls approached Mr.
Yates and holding up box of cheap
perfume, asked that he buy some
why. girlies. l don't use perfume"
said Mr.. Yates as he reached in his
pocket for the necessary dime and an
added-nickel for little Sarah Ellen al
home