Evening star., 1923-04-03

: Branding the law for eviction of
: alley dwelers as ''unwise," former
: Republican Leader of the House, Mon
= dell of wyoming told the Dupont Cir
! Gle Citizens Association last night, at
!. Rauschers, that many OF the alleys
!: could we'll be converted into minor
:. streets, and new and sanitary build
: ings could be erected on the same
!, should be razed
!: There are alleys in Washington
!. wider than very respectable streets
: in considerable cities" declared Mr.
{ hIondell. 1T has never been my be-
= lief that it was either wise or practi-
!: cable to remove all the so-called alley
. dwellers. From an economic stand.
: point the wisdom Of it is doubtful
: Reasons for His Belief.
: One reason why many alley dwellers
1 should be left where they are, even
" though the conditions perhaps should
. be improved, Mr. Mondell pointed out,
, was the fact that they need to be near
their work If there Is complaint. he
: added, that the openings on to the
main streets are too small, then the
openings should be made wider. In
= sanitary buildings could be torn down
and sanitary ones erected on the same
. sites But" the speaker added. mot
: all of these dwellings, should be
: abandoned
Some sensible reasonable plan should
be worked out. The very fact that
these buildings have not been abandoned
during ali these years is proof that in
the opinion of the majority OF the
people of Washington the original leg
islation was entirely too sweeping.
How to Seek Legislation.
Mr. Monden outlined what in his
AnipIop. affnr eight wears of
perience in the House, would be the best
attitude for District associations to as
sumo in trying to obtain legislation from
Congress. This attitude should not be
antagonStic and driving, to leave Con-
gress no peace until the end sought Is
obtained. the speaker said The ap-
proaeh of too ~ many any eTa organizations ,at on s to
vince but to compel; not to advise. but
10 demand not to win because the cause
is right, but because they wanted it"
a better way, the speaker pointed out,
would be to he active, earnest and
faithful In presenting claims, and con-
sistent in attempting to convince Con-
Eress of the justice of such claims"
Mr.. Mondell warned civic associations
against persons who were in the habit
of using organizations to forward
their own pet fads and fancies. Don't
allow people to use your society," he
urged. unless you are convinced of the
integrity Of the proposal advanced.
Washington Bound to Grow.
The city of Washington. in the
opinion Of the former republican
house leader. is bound to grow more
rapidly in the future than in the past.
He recalled Dupont Circle of twenty
eight years ago. wnen ne nrst came
here, as about the limit, on the
edge of a nice. quiet country village:
Now. he declared. that circle bids fair
TO become a commercial center.
LAS the, country grows.' he SAID,
capital increases. This increases the
number of public servants, which has
grown more rapidly in proportion
than the population of the country
than We formerly did. Washington
is attracting also those persons who
love TO live in a beautiful and at
traCtive community.
This is not only the most beautiful
city in America. but I predict that
IT shortly will become the most beautiful
in the world. No city has finer en-
virons, finer setting. Washington has
sll the elements essential to growth
Hoping the capital never would be-
come a commercial center. Mr.. Mon
dell said Alexandria was near enough
for that.
Little Actually Needed, He Says
After ALL" averred the speaker.
referring to District legislation. IAN
important and growing community
little new legislation. l venture to
say that there is not a community
the size and Importance of Washing
ton which has had so little new leg
islation in the last ten years" The
pressure OF public business had been
largely to blame for this, the speaker
charged, adding, the District how
ever, has been we'll governed. eco
nomically administered, and we are
reminded that, after all. the pros
perity, growth and development of
a community does not depend so
much as we thought upon Legislative
enactment. 1t would be better if the
whole country would realize tha-.
This country seems to be getting into
The habit Of expecting legislation TO
cure every i'll to which humanity is
heir"
Method Not a Perfect One.
The method of governing the Dis
trict, Mr.. Mondell admitted was not
perfect. A recent public statement by
him that the local government was
mot altogether WISE" he said had
brought a flood of queries as to what
he considered better plan would be