The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-14

!
the plight of the Negro in Chi
cago has been far worse than
that of his white brother.
Determination.
"Colored people have, generally"
we learn from bulletin of the City
Club, Irrespective Of their economic
condition and culture, been restricted
to low grade residence areas in which
the housing Accommodations to be OBJ
tanned are very poor, and in which
the rents, on the other hand, are very
high. They assert that landlords
renting to colored tenants do not
put proper repairs on their houses,
with the result that the housing de-
teriorates in quality.
Colored neighborhoods, they claim,
do not get the attention from the city
in street cleaning and garbage re-
moval that the white neighborhoods
receive. Often the worst dens of
vice are forced into proximity to the
eolored quarters, making these neigh
borhoods unsafe for women and chill
dren. These conditions have been
greatly intensified recently by the
pressure. among colored people for
more housing.
cit is the unanimous feeling of
those who understand conditions in
colored neighborhoods that the solu-
ton of the problems Of housing col
ored people thru provision Of sanitary
homes in decent and attractive neigh
borhoods would be great forward
step toward adjusting race relation
ships"
Necessities Are Lacking.
In the last three years the Negro
population has increased at least fully
one-third as much as the 100000
negroes here in 1920. And yet no
provision has been made to house this
influx from the South. The most re-
cent investigation of the Negro hous-
ing conditions, just published
thoro survey made by the Chicago
Commission on Race Relationship
Eproves that the ordinary conven-
fences considered necessities by the
whites, are lacking in the colored
neighborhoods. Bathrooms on the
South Side are often missing. Gas
lighting is common, electric lighting
rarity. Heating is commonly done
, by wood or coal stoves, and furnaces
; are exceptional. Where furnaces
are present they are generally out of
commission.
The Chicago School of Civics de-
; scribes typical house in the negro
district. s'There are no cutters, the
roof leaks in two places, the house is
continually damp, basement, sink and
, drain leaks, there is no putty In the
rafting window panes."
Never Make Repairs.
On the South Side almost every
! tenant tells Of rain coming in thru
the roof, chimney and window. Cases
of fallen plaster and windows being
without putty are too common to be
noted by investigators. No matter
how mach some Of these houses should
be repaired, and they are almost
never touched by landlords, they
would still remain old houses, poorly
4 built, thru which the wind can blow
at will.
4 Owners in the so-called "Black
4 belt" do not regard the house as
l worth repairing. They figure that
t tenants can always be found. The
DAILY WORKER finds that in sec
tions OF the West Side white residents
{ can get advantages and improvements
that are denied to Negro tenants.
D One investigation shows that thirty
a one per cent of all the Negro houses
. on the West Side are absolutely
dilapidated."
Broken Down Houses.
: We are told by the Chicago School
of Civics and Philanthropy investiga-
tor that Broken down doors, un
steady flooring, and general dilapida,
ton of negro houses are found or
every side. Window panes are out
doors are hanging on single hinges Of
. entirely fallen off, and roofs are rot
z ting or leaking"
Colored tenants report it is impos
= sible to persuade the landlords either
t to make the necessary repairs or Il
r release them from their contracts
: and that it is so hard to find better
places in which TO live, that they are
y forced either to make the repair
Il themselves, which they can rarely af
e ford to do, or to endure the condi
tions as best they might.
tenants remain in dwellings
twenty years after their unfitness hal
e become apparent" says Universit!
Y Of Chicago Investigator of Negro
housing conditions, Caswell W. Crews