Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-11-01

Correspondent Would Have Con
gress Act on Purchase.

To the Editor of The Star
A session of Congress is now ap-
preaching, and consideration OF an
important question for the good or
this city should not be passed by. For
years q great hue and cry, breaking
out spasmodically. has been hearo
regarding conditions in the alleys.
No one seems to know now 10
remedy this evil. so they apply to the
police and to the sanitary inspectors
and the health doctors. The District
Commissioners have to listen to dele
cations Of philanthropic people VINO
are able to live in fine houses and
have flower gardens in their back
yards, about the dreadful conditions
Of the alleys where the poorer classes
are forced to reside. The police try
to keep order, and the sanitary IN
spectors and health doctors make the
owners clean up and spend all their
income in repairs, and still conditions
are unsightly and insanitary. Con-
gress passes laws requiring the ten
ants to move out by certain time,
and the owner to tear down and de-
stroy his property. The result of this
Is nothing more than taking property
without making just compensation,
and such a plan cannot survive. ana
no agitation or regulation along this
line will avail to correct the evil.
The ownership of property along
the alleys Is a vested right and as
sacred as the ownership of property
on Connecticut avenue. Vested In
terest must be dealt with according
to law, and constitutional safeguards
and property rights cannot be taken
away by the police or sanitary in
spectors or District Commissioners
or delegations of esthetic women.
The owners of these properties, like
the owners Of other properties, natu.
rally object to giving up all they have
in this world to the end that the
scenery may be improved and the
atmosphere rendered more fragrant
to please the delicate nostrils and the
artistic tastes Of those who are able
to have better surroundings.
Why not deal with the subject in
a business way? When other NUM-
cipalities find it in the public interest
and promotive of the public health to
open a street or build bridge or fill
up a swamp or remove a nuisance, 1t
first acquires. the property by paying
a fair price, fixed by agreement, If
possible: If not, by condemnation. Why
not apply this method to the solution
of the alley problem and take over
some each year! 1t has been tried
and found to work better than any
other system. The city is suffering
for want of Fairgrounds, garages,
parks and breathing spaces. One OF
the grandest improvements that can
be conceived of is to convert the
alleys and adjacent lots gradually
into clean. open spaces. Improvement
of the entire vicinity will Immediately
begin. The money it would take is
nothing compared to the benefits to
be derived. No philanthropist could
employ his fortune in a better work,
because from this beginning improve
ment would grow and spread and the
vice spots be wiped out forever.
The suggestion that the inhabitants
of the alleys would be ousted from
their homes is without merit. Areas
of unoccupied land are close at hand
and distance has been annihilated by
modern transportation. While our
city Is yet young, Congress should
relieve the congested portions, open
breathing spaces. and let the alley
| jewellers find health and homes suit
| able for the upbuilding of a future
citizenship for the greatest Nation on
| earth. JOHN H. NELSON.