The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-10-16

a-month lob here in the capitol
without even going to work at it.
because he considered the cost of
living too high, must have been
man of prophetic vision. He created
almost national sensation among
job hunters; politically, he was
curiosity.
Sixteen years a democrat in the
wilderness, with Republicans in all
the jobs, his party came into power,
His Congressman paid back the
years of loyalty with an appointment
But the man took one look at Wash
ington and its living prices and
went back to Georgia on the first
train.
One is constrained to wonder what
he would do in Washington now.
Much has been written and said OF
the congested conditions in war-busy
Washington. Government officials
whose task it is to bring in war work
ers have been eager not to have the
reports of crowding drive away hun
dreds of folks badly needed. In fact,
they have made every effort through
organization of aids to newcomers
to find homes for them On the 9TH
er hand, real estate agents and others
beseiged by waves of homeless new
corners actually have pleaded to have
the country informed that there is no
more room.
A city which, three years ago, was
estimated as having five thousand
vacant houses and three thousand va
cant apartments, now has not sin
gle vacant one. The search for
homes has extended to all the sub
urbs, where cottages have trebled in
! price. The crowded condition OF
hotels and boarding houses, every
traveller knows for himself. One Of
them has aptly remarked that on
coming to Washington on business
one has to engage place in Balti-
more or Philadelphia to sleep.
Soldiers in uniform have been put
to making house to house canvass
asking the occupants to double up
, as patriotic duty and take in war
worker. Absentee householders,
having large domains which they
have been accustomed to visit once
year, have in some cases feared
/ that the premises would be com.
: Wandered by the government and
hurriedly have returned, to keep
their drawing rooms from being con-
IS verted in dormitories.
One may we'll imagine that where
there is so much difficulty in housing
so many people, there is equal trou-
in feeding them. Cafes and cafete.
rias have sprung up about the city
like mushrooms; it is no uncommon
sight to see line of war workers
standing in line outside a restaurant,
, waiting for &C nance to spend money
inside-just like line of ticket buy
ers before theatre box office.
Nobody seems to want to take In
a woman war worker. The few who
advertise rooms, prefer gentlemen"
or Officers" The discrimination
| hurts the girl war workers feelings,
but has no practical result. AS a
matter of fact the gentleman" has
just as lively a time getting room.
, Some one has estimated that the
war workers are fiocking into the
city at the rate of 500 day and de-
parting at the rate of 300 day, dis
couraged, homeless, somtimes food
less. There is no verification of the
latter figure but there seems to be no
doubt about the former. There also
seems to be no doubt that there are
100000 war workers here who were
in the city year ago. The result
may be compared to an attempt to
put a quart of water into pint meas
ure.
Reading of the want columns Of
the Washington newspapers is sure
to arouse a feeling pity for the un-
fortunates who plead for a place to
live, even at profiteer prices. In
fact, the natives now read the want
columns for amusement in preference
to the funny papers. Here are few
typical samples which bespeak the
despair of a war worker trying to
live in the capital.
The first woman confesses at the
Ioutset that she is desperate. She
says so. Here is her plant:
DESPERATE: Does anyone feel
enough patriotic duty to accommo
date a refined widow of an army sur
geon with a cheerful room?
Another feels the stigma of the
men only" policy, She pleads:
"Will some kind woman who has a
room not for men only rent furn
i,-Ls ... a. 4,ro ro,od;oD o;rIs