La Junta tribune., 1917-03-15
BAD HOUSING
AND ITS EFFECTS
Cause Of Much Disease, Pow
efty and Crime
IT RAISES TAX BURDENS.
John J. Murphy, Tenement House
cemmissiorer Of New York City.
Traces Evil Results Of Bad Housing
on Family Life and on Workers.

The three great scourges OF man
kind. disease. poverty and crime. are
largely due to bad housing. according
to John J. Murphy. New York city's
| tenement house commissioner. whose
official task II is TO study and REM
edy as far as possible improper hous.
ing conditions. Mr.. Murphy. who Is
the only tenement house commissioner
In the United States attended the re-
cent national housing conference in
Minneapolis and read paper on hous-
| ing conditions. based on his investi.
cations In several large centers OF pop
ulation. In which he said.
There can be no question that the
three great scourses OF mankind, dis.
ease. poverty and crime. are In q large
measure due to bad housing In its
/ broadest sense. Intemperancc In many
OF its most repuguant forms may be
traced 10 the fact that so many cit-
sens are obliged TO live In homes in
which they can take neither pride nor
comfort and which make the saloon
| seem desirable by contrast
bad housing Is especially detri.
mental In its consequences to the chill
dren reared under its influence. In
many cases the evil influences OF en-
vironment can never be eradicated.
| The need for the erection OF institu-
tons for the blind and hospitals for
the child victims of tuberculosis. spina!
meningitis and other diseases OF like
character Is greatly intensified by bad
home conditions. The employee living
In a house iuadcquately lighted and
ventilated is unable TO perform his task
with proper energy and intelligence.
I Women compelled 10 live in such
houses develop tendencies to irritabill-
I ~. which frequently lead TO family dis
ruption.
bad housing tends TO increase the
I tax burdens Of "a community by requir-
/ ing larger expenditures for remedial
service. which might otherwise be elm
lnatsd. The lack OF proper cleanliness
1 A'A'hAs III wv 'AAiAA'A anu
terror Of houses tends 10 reduce the
/ saf respect Of the occupants. Note
/ how eagerly the family which has even
| slightly improved its financial standing
I seeks buildings with more attractive
| exteriors and better decorated rooms
| II VIII also be found that as families
! descend I'm the social scale one Of the
| pahcs most kccnly felt Is the necessity
| for the occupancy OF quarters In build.
lngs whose general appearance indi.
I Gates that they are occupied by the
I miserably poor.
! lit may be said. therefore. that there
Z n no plane OF human existence In So
] ciety which the housing question does
not touch. There is no form OF vice.
crime. debility or shiftlessness which
I lad housing does not tend TO nurture
Keeping up appearances is often de
cried and deserves much OF the re-
proach cast upon II when IL simply
means unwarran,ed cxtravagance TO
maintain position which ones in
| come does not Justify. but among the
/ poor IL Is an ever present aid to the
1 maintenance OF self respect and Is TO
[ b~ encouraged rather than dccricd.
/ Sanitary research shows how i'm.
| portant Is the reaction Of adequate
/ light and ventilation on the health.
/ stamina and moral character OF In
I dividuals. Bad housing furnishes the
| fruitful nurseries OF disease germs OF
all kinds, while mt the same time Gre
Etng conditions which prevent the
building up OF resistance TO their In.
roads"