Evening journal., 1918-11-21

THAT sort Of thing can be done by
imperial DEGREES but could never be
done in a democracy is the answer
which a group OF pioneers In the slum
demolition movement in America re-
ceiyed some years ago when they ap-
preached the city fathers in their COM
munity with a scheme for wiping out
one OF the most disghaceful slums in the
country.
But today, the democracy which turn
ed over TO its president its railroads and
telegraph wires. which gave into his
hands its food and fuel supply, which
looked to him for its very houses can
never again appeal TO the limitations OF
democratic form OF government as
sufficient cause TO turn a deaf ear TO
any reasonable scheme which has FOR
its purpose the preservation OF that
democracy and Of that first right guar
anteed to every man by the Constitu-
tion-"the right TO life"
Such a scheme, housing reformers
believe, is the destructiOn-the whole
sale demolition-of existing slums TO
make way for open spaces, for wider
streets or for new, sanitary dwelling
places in the overcrowded districts OF
our cities
Il is this scheme. as housing reform
ers and city planners see 1t. that Halph
Adams Cram, Boston architect ana
Americas cathedral builder, Will discuss
in a paper on "Scrapping the 'Slum" at
the Seventh National Convention on
Housing. 10 be held in Boston, Novem-
Der 25. 26 and q. at the Copley Plaza
Hotel. Mr.. Cram, as chairman or the
Boston City Planning Board, has made
a special study Of the various prob
lens involved in slum clearance.
Mr.. Grams point OF view viii not De
that of the theorist only, for he was one
of the leaders in the movement which
brought about the destruction OF the
North End slum-popularly known as
"the Morton Street Improvement, "a
movement which placed Boston IN the.
vanguard OF American cities which
have ventured to decree that darkness
and Nth must give way to light ana
air within their borders.
A little more than-two years ago, the
Boston City Planning Board made a
study OF the block which revealed that
on 1 ~ acres Of grOund-a block which
would make six or eight suburban
house lots for half a hundred people IN
reality comprised 80 lots and housed
Today a third OF this block has been
cleared out and the sunshine let into
its center. Rear tenements there whlch,
in fftv years had not seen the light OF
dav. this summer blOssOmed out WIN
window boxes and red geraniums. just
now, the fyventy-nve houses which were
torn down remain an unprepossesslng
nile Of bricks. but soon they will give
yyav 10 a playground for the children
NJ This most densely populated district
Of the city. Il
To accomplish this end the city OF
Boston appropriated s2OOOOQ.
Roston's action in this respect was
antedated by a similar undertaking in
u. c.. which Oblterated
notorious "Willow Tree Alley" and by
moro ambitious undertakings in New
Yorlr CItv which wiped out the more
notorious "NIulberry Bend" and other
fostering spots Of disease and crime, the
iniquity OF which was dragged into the
realm Of public consciousness Dy the
spirit and inimitaDle pen
OF Jacob Riis. s
Mulberry Bend was "a crooked
three-acre lot built over with rotten
structures that harbored the very dregs
of humanlty-ordinary enough TO look
al from the street but pierced by a
maze OF foul alleys in the depths OF
which skulked the tramp and the out
cast thief with loathsome wrecks that
had once laid claim to the name OF
woman. Every foot Of it reeked with /
incest and murder. Bandits Roost' /
Bottle Alley, were names synonymous /
with robbery and red-handed outrage
The Tenement House Commission ap |
pointed in 1881 reported In 1888 and
one Of its recommendations was the
opening Of streets which would do away
with Mulberry Bend-a plan which had
been recommended az years earlier but
never had been car led out. in 1887
a law was passed authorizing and en-
powering the Board Of Street Opening
and Improvement Of New York City ito |
select. locate and lay out such and
so many public parks in the city Of New
York south Of i55th street, as the said |
board should from time to time deter
mine" It also provided that not more