Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-10

Joking aside, few institutions render
such satisfactory service as one gets
from the plumber these days. II we
have any grouching to do about the
plumber and his ways, we should aim 1t
at the thick sanitary" regulations that
handicap the plumbers honest mten-
tons.
Here is what I mean. know a city
of 10000 population where for years
the health officer has received salary
of 81, 500 per annum for part-time serV-
ice, but the plumbing inspector has re-
ceived a salary of 81, 300 per annum for
part-time service. The citizens OF this
benighted community evidently believe
the plumbing inspectors job Is the more
essential for the protection of public
health. II you can flnd any other an
swer for this conundrum you will confer
favor by enlightening me about 1t.
A citizen Of this quaint community
planned to install in his residence a
new-fangled contraption called a shower
bath. The misguided man already had
a bathroom on the second floor OF the
house and a lavatory on the first floor.
But some of the children had been
away to college, and when they came
back home they couldn't see the potato
bin style Of bath that dad thought very
fine. No, they wanted a shower, so dad
said let there be shower.
/ Well, sir, here's where the plumber
broke up the game. He was q blamed
good plumber, regular family plumber,
the kind you rely on to give you square
deal. Dad summoned the plumber to
get the low down, as the college folk
say, on the job. The plumber meas
ured and estimated. The price he
named was frightful. Dad was shocked.
It wasn't at all like the old family plum
Der. How come? Well, the plumber
to run q shaft or something up through
the ceiling, through the third floor and
out upon the roof. This made the job
quite expensive. The installation Of the
shower in the bathroom was only a
small part Of it:
Father presently learned that the
sanitary regulations of the town board
of health were very strict about this.
through the roof from the bathroom,
There was already q vent pipe up
| but what did the health board care
about that? Had to have another VEN
/ tilator pipe to ventilate the shower bath.
| Father consulted his physician. or
| course, the physician could give him no
sympathy. TITS an old Spanish GUS
TOM" said the doctor.
SO the children are doing without a
| shower. Can you blame 1atner? Ger"
| tainly not. !,
There is no reason under the sun for
this sort of sanitary" regulation other
than the one the doctor suggested. It's
an old Spanish custom.
| II the plumbers themselves were orig
ilally responsible for this funny reg
ulation, In the interest Of their own
| business they ought to try TO undo
some Of the harm that the Sanitary
| plumbing" ohsession has done. am
| glad to observe that they are trying to
| make amends. From an organization
paper or magazine published by the
plumbers quote this sensible remark
of Elmer Harris, Newark. N. j.:
/ IT am !. against the complicated
and expensive venting system because
plumbing has nothing to do with the
prevention of disease"
| / second the motion Of Mr.. Harris
and I challenge any plumber, sanitary
engineer, doctor or health authority to
tell us what is wrong with the motion
ALs-A N.-..R W.. NsS.A.-