Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-21

investments IN washington ecduS
of the comparatively high rents and
because there is so little repairing or
improvement work done on the
property.
This is the story told in all of its
possible variations, and with the UNI
fortunate details of each particular
case. ut is bad enough now" the
alley dweller says. But u house
Is a shelter. Where can we go?"
Mrs. Taylor finds that a few fami-
lies, both white and colored, are
leaving town. These, however, are
mostly responsible and farsighted
tenants, the most desirable class of
the alley residents. The majority of
the people involved are merely wait
ing, some with a faith that provi-
dence will mysteriously intervene,
and some saying defantly that the
city will have to provide shelter.
Alley Born and Bred
William Deane Ham, a member OF
Mrs. Taylor's committee, says: 1.-THE
most pathetic feature of the situa-
ton is that from so to 80 per cent
of the alley jewellers are people who
have lived in the alleys from child
hood. They know nothing else but
alley life. Their means of subsist-
ence comes from the adjoining
wealthy property owners, usually in
small pittances of a few cents per
day or week, and such cast-of cloth
Ing and table provisions as may be
carried back from the houses to the
alleys to these semi-slave tenants.
Mr.. Ham has frequently attended
meetings to talk to these people re-
garding betterment of their condi-
ton.
81 have found" he says, that
nearly all of them desire to stay in
their immediate locality. Very few
would consent to go out to the SUBJ
urbs where they might not be able
to keep their jobs and where they
would be almost cut off from the
help they get by close contact with
the residents of street homes. The
result will be that if the alley dwell
ers are forced to leave their present
abodes there will be tent colonies all
about the city during the summer.
1.-THE coming plan, which would
remove one-third of the alley resi-
dents each year for three years. fall
ed to be approved by congress at the
last hour. Congress fddled while
Washington children. died in the al
leys. An average of four children
die each day in the alleys beyond
the normal death rate of the remain
der of the city. More than so per
cent of the crime that is committed
in Washington by half a million
people is committed in the alleys or
by alley jewellers. The pestholes
must be closed, but the step taken is
too radical.
The city is beginning to consider
plans to build houses for these peo-
pie, but very little can be done to
erect buildings to house so many
families in the few weeks before the
law goes into effect. The most fav-
ored plan provides for the building
of rows of small houses on city
blocks with a central lighting plant
for each block. The tenants would
be permitted to buy the homes, pay
ing for them in small instaIlments.
Something of this sort must and
will be done Eventually. But mean
while the city is wondering whether
the first of June will see thousands
OF poor families camping on vacant
lots, or whether providence in the
form of the District Supreme Court
will step in to save the alley tenants
from being dispossessed,
If the delay is arranged the pres.
ent situation may not have been en-.
tirely without good results. The city
awakened some time ago to the fact
that the alleys + dangerous to til
health, morals, and safety. But 1t il
just beginning to realize that II must
provide a new and practical ar.
rangement for the alley tenants wher
1t turns them out of their tumble.
down homes. They cannot, as wa,
always popularity supposed, be "ab.
sorbed" casually. If that fact i,
seriously realized, and If a reasona.
Bile delay is arranged, the next date
set may see the alley dwellers facins
better living conditions than they
ever have before. But If the Law
proves in~flexible-?