The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-29

described in the first extensive
survey of housing conditions in
this city, still remain, intensi-
fed by increasing population
and proportionally higher
rents.
"For the past twenty-five years."
said Mr.. Ball, Chicago has ignored
the fast growing slums. She has
been content to let the private In
terests control the housing Of her
citizens. Private interests have
cared nothing for the welfare Of
the people as a whole. The city
ordinances governing apartments
are entirely adequate, and the De-
partment of Health hasn't enough
men to enforce those we do have"
Many Problems Await Attention.
There are many housing prob
lens in congested portions Of the
city, which are awaiting attention"
it is mildly put in a Department
Of Health report. ''These are found
IN buildings constructed prior TO the
last three years, and mainly build
ings constructed for two or more
families. Coupled with these are
poor insanitary conditions existing
in many places of employment.
There are also many crowded areas
with front and rear tenements with
conditions many of which could and
should be reYnedied."
Look in any yearly report Of the
Chicago Department of Health and
you will find similar statements.
Always it is pointed out that I'M
bearable housing conditions are still
awaiting attention." and that the
number of sanitary and building in
spectors is inadequate to cope with
the situation" Compare this state
of affairs with any yearly report of
the Board of Health Of almost any
European city. Liverpool Depart
ment Of Health report states that
in one year 2,342 new aparLmefrU
houses were erected and 1856 were
caused to be torn down by the De-
partment Of Health.
The two investigations into Chi
cago's housing conditions which are
considered by housing experts to
be the most authoritative and the
most thoro, are the report of the
City Homes Association mentioned
above, and a survey of the "Cost
of Living in american Towns" COM
piled by the British Board of Trade,
admitted to Parliament records, and
recently made a United States SEN
ate document.
Chicago Noted For SIums.
The latter, reporting on Chi
cago, shows that conditions have not
been improved in this century. On
the contrary, they have been al
lowed to get worse until now Chi
cago has an unsavory reputation for
its slum life. Chicago is known as
the town of millionaire packers and
steel n1agnates. Thru its neglect
of the eongested district, Chicago
is also known as a city that cares
nothing for the physical or moral
welfare of her working citizens.
People are too busy making money
at private pursuits 20 take a pub
lie spirited view of the housing sit
uation.
"The building of houses for sale
is done almost entirely by private
speculation" the British experts
point oVt. ''In the past a large
proportion of the houses in Chicago,
particularly in the poorer districts,
have been erected with little regard
for either building or sanitary reg
ulations, and in large areas condi-
tons exist today which call for
determined action on the part of
the health authorities. Statistics
reveal appalling conditions of hous-
ing, great overcrowdIng, and acute
restitution.
"An inspection made for the pur-
pose Of this report of the districts
described in the report of the City
Homes Association in 1900, show
that no general improvement has
taken place in housing conditions,
and that in some respects they are
getting worse.
"The crowding together Of these
several storied tenements would Of
itself be prejudicial to the health
of the inmates, but when workshops
and stables are found in the rear,
as often happens, the evil is inten-
sified. Moreover, large proper
ton Of the frame buildings, which
were but flimsily constructed at the
outset, are now old ana in a me-
elected condition"
Buildings Erected For Profit.
"Most of these buildings were
erected without any provision
against damp, a defect which IS all
the more serious in Chicago owing
to the marshy soil, and the fact
that during heavy rains the sewers
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