The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1918-10-20
CROWDED WASHINGTON

reimbursement job in the capitol
Washington without even going to
work at it--because he considered
the cost of living too high, must have
been a man of prophetic vision He
created almost a national sesnnation
among job hunters; politically, he was
a 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 Washington
and its living prices and went back
TO Georgia on the first train.
One is constrained to wonder what
he would in Washington now Govern
ment officials whose task it is to
bring in war workers have been eager
not to have the reports Of crowding
drive away hundreds of folks badly
needed. In fact they made every eff
fort through organization of aids to
N ntfyan IN IND kTyt 20 hnF
On the otherhand, real estate agents
and others beseiged by waves Of
homeless newcomers 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 single
vacant one The search for homes
has extended to all the suburbs,
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 Baltimore or Phil
delphia to sleep.
Soldiers in uniform have been put
to making house to housecanvass
asking the occupants to double up"
as patriotic duty and take in a war
workerAbsentee householders hav-
ing large domains which they have
been accustomed to visit once year
nave in some cases feared that the
premises would be commandeerer by
the government and hurriedly have
returned, to keep their drawing rooms
from being converted into dormitor.
les.
One may well imagine that where
there is so much difficulty in hous-
ing so many people, there is equal
trouble in feeding them. Cafes and
cafeteries have sprung up about the
city like mushrooms: it is no common
sight to see line of war workers
standing in line outside a restaurant
waiting for chance to spend money
lnslde-just like line of ticket buy.
ers before threatre box office.
Nobody seems to want to take in
woman war worker. The few who
advertise rooms, prefer gentlemen"
or Officers" The discrimination hurts
the girl war workers feeling but
has no practical result. AS a matter
OF fact the gentlemen" has inst as
lively time getting a room.
Some one has estimated that the
war workers are flocking into the
city at the rate of 500 a day and de-
parting at the rate of 300 a day. dis.
couraged, homeless, sometimes food.
less. There is no notification 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
not in the city year ago. The result
may be compared to an attempt to
put quart of water into a pint mea.
sure.
A reading of the want columns of
the Washington newspapers is sure
to arouse feeling of pity for the un
fortunates who plead for a place to
live even at profiteer prices. In fact
the natives now read the want col