Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-10-31
AID Club GOING
ACTIVELY into
TENEMENT EVILS
Committees Efforts Backed
By Luncheon Talk of Or.
Pratt; Lines Suggested

Tenement houses In Honolulu anu
how TO improve certain admittedly
vicious conditions formed the main
subject at the AID Club luncheon to-
day. A brief but well handled and
straightforward report by H. K. YER
non. chairman Of the civic affairs com.
mittee. which has this subject IN
charge, and an almost equally brief
but also vigorous talk by Or. J. 8. B.
Pratt, president of~the board Of health,
gave many valuable suggestions to the
club members.
Vernon reported that the board Of
health records had brought out the
ownership OF IS tenements which the
committee has listed. and in only one
instance, that Of camp No. 2, has the
record been questioned. The owner
ship OF Camp 2 has already been the
subject of explanation in the Star
Bulletin.
He reported that the ownership Is
about equally divided between Cau-
casian and Oriental. and read letter
addressed to organizations or leading
individuals of the Japanese, Chinese,
Hawaiian, Korean and Filipino races
here urging immediate attention to i'm.
prove tenement house conditions. One
of the suggestions was that each race
have representative who shall taFe
up the work Of educating his fellow
countrymen and countrywomen 10 seek
betterment OF the situation.
He reported also that a letter has
been addressed to each tenement
house owner asking for definite infnr.
nation on which the comIlfttee can
make up q social survey of conditions.
DR.. Pratt told something OF the his
tory of tenement houses, from their
beginning after the Chinatown fire of
1899, when they were rushed up to
take care of thousands of persons Just
released from plague quarantine.
Many OF these were put up on 20
year leases and the leases are expiring
in 1920, though some run longer" he
explained. "A large number should
be torn down now. In the last few
years ten or twelve have been torn
down, some through condemnation
and some through, suasionp
Touching upon need for improve
ment, DR.. Pratt pointed out that the
sanitary code failed of passage by the
last legislature and there is no re-
quirement now that syery tenement
must have q janitor, and said that pro-
Iuiscuous mixing of the sexes and Of
married and unmarried folk is one OF
the greatest evils. He said that pros.
titution now exists In the tenements
and that moral conditions are ex-
tremely difficult to regulate.
In recent years. he continued. there
has been improvement, with number
of cottages put up and some tendency
toward the cottage system, but added
that cottages are much more expensive
than tenement rooms. The city ordi-
nance, which to some extent regulates
tenement building, has been step in
the right direction, but further steps
are needed. Much waste land west
Of Liliha street should be opened M
for cottages and small homes to relieve
the tenement situation. he suggested.
Overcrowding, lack of regulations
enforcing sanitary observances and
lack Of educational work to uplift the
standards were alluded to.
Altogether it was an enHghtening
talk and offered several suggestions
for Improvement that can be accom-
piished by public opinion and action.
The Ad Club. on the suggestion OF
Vernon. took notice of the report that
the police had exposed and secured
the conviction Of particularly vicious
procnrer and passed q motion thank.
ing the police for all the work they do
in putting these evil doors out OF bus
mess
II was announced that Sessue Haya.
kaws, the famous apanese movie star
and his company win be the guests
OF the club on their arrival next Wed.
nesday: also that the congressional
party will be given the farewell lunch.
con OF its trip on November 81 by the
club.
The club opened its luncheon TO-DAY
with iusty singing OF Honolulu. I'm
Coming Back to YOU the latest mu.
steal effort of F. B. ("Daddy',l silver.
wood of Los Angeles, one Of the terri.
tory's firmest and most ELOQUENT
friends.
III mr.