The Washington times., 1918-07-24
GARBAGE PERIL
MENACES CITY;
LABORLACKING
TO REMOVE It
by BILL PRICE.

health of the city through poor col
1ections of garbage, and District OF
metals who have charge of this
Pranch Of the municipal government
must adopt radical methods for i'm
provement of the situation before
mere is a serious menace.
The District govern m e was
forced to take over the collection and
disposal OF garbage July 1 owing to
the refusal of the former contractors
TO bid for the work for another fiscal
year and to the fact that no bids
were to be had from any other quar-
ter. The problem was for some time
before the Commissioners and Con-
gress, with various suggestions I'M
der consideration, including the es-
tablishment OF a big hog and chicken
farm
Congress finally concluded to au-
thorize the purchase of the plant and
collection outfit Of the Washington
Fertilizer Company, which had the
contract for many years. but which
did not wish to undertake the work
sgain- The purchase was made and
the turn over effected July 1. Since
that time the District has been strug-
Cling with the job.
Daily Collections Planned
--FAoAANG nave AaNGAg AGIA PAAAAo
mp from citizens that garbage fire.
quently goes uncolIected for a num-
Der of days. The requirements Of
the health department and of the
- street cleaning department., under
which garbage collection comes, were
that there should be one daily col
lection of garbage throughout the
city proper and in suburban sections
three times q week. Contractors wero
held to these requirements as much
rs possible.
Officials today admitted that garb-
age collections at present are not
what they should be, and that there
Is ground for complaint on the part
of citizens. They declare, though,
that they are doing all they can to
improve conditions under circum-
stances that are far from satisfactory.
The failure to obtain best results is
due to labor scarcity, IT is claimed.
The work Is in process of organiza-
ton, with new men being trained as
fast as possible to efficient duty. It
IS practically impossible, officials
say, to get a dependable working
force. Men placed on a collection
route today may not report for work
tomorrow, and new men undertake
the Job.
The worst trouble is declared to be
due to the fact that the District is
paying such good wages TO laborers
IN the street department that after
each pay day q comparatively large
number fail to. report for work, and
there are absentees for a number of
days Yesterday was pay day, for in
stance, and today twelve to fifteen
men in the garbage collection force
failed to appear. with not a sufficient
number Of substitutes to I'LL the va
eancies.
Toe Much Prosperity.
The District is paying 1888 per day
70 iaborers in this department, q big
advance over past years, and the
prosperity Is too much for that class
which finds it a burden to carry cash
very long. Bootleggers are getting
much of the money of these workers,
while others simply wish to rest for
n while after pay days.
There is said to be a sufficient force
If men at the garbage transfer sta
ton. New Jersey avenue and K
station that the garbage is shipped
10 the disposal plant at Cherry Hill,
va where there is also a sufficient
number OF men to care for the
work. The difficulty is in getting
men to handle the collection through
nut the city and District.
There Is talk OF trying to bring
italian laborers here from New York
and other large citiesNif they can be
procured There is little talk Of
irving to use women. The garbage
soIjectors must know how TO drive
rsTts and to handle heavy lots of
garbage. It is plain that something
will have to be done for the pro-
fection OF the health of the city. Gar
ba0e which remains around apart
noent houses for three or four days
IS dangerous.
CompuIsOry Work Law Advocated.
A compulsory work law for the
Yofgtrjct. fashioned on that in Mary
land. is being advocated, as already
1oId in The Times. with the practi-
cal certainty that the District Com
TnIssioners will recommend to Con-
rress the enactment Of such legis-
iation.
been keeping track Of bootlegging
cases attribute much Of the violation
M the prohibition law here TO lOafers,
Srbo cannot be reached under exist
inK laws. Coal dealers, laundrymen.
transfer companies. all classes OF
business men, daily report that they
Tnow Of loafers who might be COM
nelled TO work II there were a law
occurring IL: at least get a maximum
~ work out OF hundreds WIN hold to
the doctrine Of doing a minimum Of
labor.
As opposed TO the suggestion OF a
compulsory work law is the coca
SIonaI suggestion that IL would drive
Frt,un the city q gond many men who
yTcrk a few days in the week. The
best opinion, though, is that a COM
n1IIsory law will result In the utiIlza-
ZION Of more man power than in the
nast ana diminish the number Of
Sootieggers who are disrupting labor
nv plying their business among msn
V-ho might work IL not tempted by
liquor.