Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-18
COPELAND CITES
ALLEY DWELLINGS
Holds Conditions Here Are
"AlmoSt as Bad" as He
Found in Dublin.


most as bad" as exist in the worst slums
in Dublin. Ireland, declared Senator
Royal S. Copeland of New York in
urging improvements in the health con-
ditions in this city and the country at
large, in an address at the thirty-fourth
anniversary dinner of the Monday Eve
ming Club in the Hotel Mayflower last
night
Senator Copeland had described a
visit he made to the Slums in Dublin,
where he said large families live in
EMBELLISHMENTS. and children are found
suffering from ricketts, and in such con-
dition that they resemble little more
than slightly animated mummies."
At this point the senator said:
I'VE shut our eyes to the fact that
there are alley dwellings here and con-
ditionS almost as bad as 1 found in
Dublin"
While not placing the blame for such
conditions upon any group of persons,
Senator Copeland indicated they are
due largely because Congress has not
been asked to grant adequate appro-
priation. Congress-" he said, never
gives anything it is not asked for" and
added, in effect, that practically all re-
quests for appropriations are granted.
He then stressed that it is up to the
people and authorities in the District TO
ask for adequate appropriations to re-
lieve unsatisfactory conditions here and
| to present their requests in such man
ner as to show the real need of certain
specific appropriations and how they
would be spent.
Appearance of Citizens Important.
ut is more important to have Wash
ington a model city in the appearance
of its citizens than in the appearance
Of its buildings" Senator Copeland said,
explaining that he was in no sense be-
lifting the building program here.
The Senator declared that poverty is
the one great thing that stands in the
way of alternating unsatisfactory con-
characterization that mean the I'M
pairment of the health and welfare o.
the populace. mo people can be
counted a civilized people until the eco
nomic situation has been adjusted 10
eliminate such conditions" he asserted.
Senator Copeland took an indirect
slap at the huge expenditures for naval
ornaments. indicating that the many
millions spent for ships could be used
for humanitarian work.
Il don't take much stock in naval
parity where it costs billion dollars for
parity" he said. Fifty million dollars
for a battleship-think what could be
done with that!" he added in empha-
sizing his point. THE most important
thing a country can have is health and
the most important thing government
can do Is to promote health"
While stressing the need for the fur
ther promotion of public health and
welfare, Senator Copeland expressed
qualification over the progress made in
recent years. explaining that the aver
age span of life has been increased from
about AZ years, several generations ago,
to about So years now. There are $500
persons in the United States who are
more than 100 years old, he said.
Tells of Child Welfare Work.
Senator Copelands address followed
one of DR.. H. E. Barnard, director of the
White House Conference on Child
Health and Protection. who told Of the
vast survey that body is undertaking
with view to ascertaining facts that
win aid in the promotion of the health |
and welfare Of children throughout the
Nation
THE problem Of the White House |
Conference isn't to draft legislation"
DR.. Barnard explained, but TO get some
fact through which legislation may be
drafted"
The conference is making its survey
with view to covering four general
fields, Dr. Barnard explained. First, to
obtain general statistics on child health;
second, facts regarding Public Health I
Service administration: third, education |
of the child, and fourth, an extensive
study of the dependent child, what is
being done for him and what might be
done.
Dr. Barnard took a slap at so-called
Hollywood diets among the young
people, declaring: IF we knew as much
as we ought to know 1 don't believe
there would be so many Hollywood
diets followed by high school students
TO the impairment OF, their health
He had previously stated that many
discoveries have been made in recent
years pertaining to the food properties
Of certain edibles. but later added:
There is stiTl a lot we ought to know
about feeding children"
Will Hear Little of Facts Now.
DR.. Barnard said the public will hear
little of the facts gathered by the con.
ference until it Is called next Noyen1-
Der after facts have been collected A
number of committee meetings will be
held in Atlantic City next week, he
said. Among these will be experts
studying child health in the public
schools.
The speakers were introduced by
Walter c. Clephane, POSTMASTER, who
was presented by DR.. Frank w. Ballou.
superintendent of schools and president
of the Monday Evening Club. Inyoca-
ton was delivered by Rev. Dr. Freder-
lex w. Perkins, A number of humor-
Gus monologues were given by James
Mullings.
DR.. Ballou introduced the following
club committee chairmen:
Mrs. Z. r. Grant. chairman of the
committee on the Children's Tubercu-
losis Sanitarium; DR.. Arthur Deerin
Call, chairman of the committee on
feeble-minded and insane; DR.. j. Win
throp Peabody, public health; Sanford
Bates, the superintendent of prisons,
chairman Of the committee on adult Of
tenders; John Ihlder, housing COM
mittee; DR.. Viola Anderson, maternal
and child hygiene; Miss Patricia Morse
school attendance and child labor and
Gordon F.. Rogers, chairman of the
committee on recreation. Dancing con-
Guided the evening Yarnnrana