The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-08-21
BETTER HOUSES
CALLED CITYS
CRYING need
Thousands Could Be Given
Work, Health Cause
Advanced.
BY DIR. X. CLYDE WHITE
Director Indiana University Bureau
Social Research


Every one familiar with the
L'Enfant plan for the city Of In
dianapolis knows that little has
been done in the last two genera
tons to make it reality. The
studies which the community plan
committee Of the Chamber Of Com
merce has made show where our
social problems are located in the
city. These problems are most
acute in the areas Of bad houses.
We can not get away from the
fact that the surroundings Of a
man, woman. or child affect his
state OF mind and have much to do
with his efficiency. To live in a
house with leaky roof, broken
windows. sagging porch. and general
appearance Of dilapidation saps
pride and ambition.
Calamities which drove the
family TO move into such an area
already have dealt severe blow at
salf-respect The unsightly and
unhealthful surroundings tend to
complete the breakdown of morale,
and in time the family gets used to
the reduced. standard of living and
lacks the ambition TO try to i'm
prove 1t. That is the moral effect
upon those who must live in these
bad housing areas.
Effect Bad on Health
But there is more obvious effect
of bad houses, and that is the effect
upon health. Dampness, inadequate
heating facilities. and insanitary
conditions endanger health. When
there was an epidemic of spinal
meningitis in Indianapolis in the
winter of 1929-30, almost all of the
cases came from the areas Of bd
houses. Any other epidemic tends
TO show the same results.
The surroundings are in league
with disease and against the per-
ons forced to live in such areas are
helpless to make a successful
counter attack Deaths from res
piratory diseases and heart diseases
are highest in these areas. Venereal
disease fiourishes in the areas Of
dilapidated houses.
Delinquency. crime. poverty, sick
ness. and death come to the areas
of greatest economic drain, that is,
the areas of bad houses, with a
calamitous force not present in
other parts of the city. These are
the great enemies of the individual
and Of society. They can not be at
tackled by the persons who are ex-
posed to them most; they must be
attacked by the entire city. This is
the problem of 355 900 people in In
dianapolis.
Threat of tuberculosis
A case Of tuberculosis in census
tract % or II is a threat to every
other person in the city who is sus-
ceptible to the disease. All con-
tagious diseases which break out
most often in such areas are a
threat to the entire city. The city
is responsible for such conditions,
and it must make united attack on
them.
One of the most obvious methods
of attack is the demolition of acres
of bad houses and the construction
of decent, sanitary houses for the
working population Of the city in
the same place. That can be done.
provided the city unites to do it.
For twenty years the rebuilding of
unhealthful areas in the cities of
Great Britain. Germany and Austria
has been going on. WOrkmen have
good, attractive houses in which to
live and the rents are low enough
to meet their requirements. These
countries have built workmen's
houses on an amortization plan, and
the same thing can be done in the
United States.
Surely, indianapolis would admit
that something can be done in the
industrial cities of Europe which
can not be done here. We have fol-
lowed a "let alone policy" so long
that it is hard for us to take united
action for community welfare. but
We can do it. just as the old coun-
tries have done.
Another method Of attacking the
problem is to put money in the
pockets of the unemployed and I'M
deremployed in the city. This can be
done for a great many families by
starting an extensive house build
ing program. That will give work
TO skilled and unskilled workmen; it
will boost the construction material
business: and indirectly it will boost
the food business
If we could spend $4,000, 900 on
houses in indianapolis. We would
contribute immensely toward the
success of NRA and. therefore, 70
the building of our economic life.
The houses are needed as perma-
nent improvement in the city, and
the work is needed Immediately by
everybody in the city,
It is we'll known that the con-
struction industry is a good index
of general business condition. A
housing program in indianapolis
would stimulate this industry i'm
mensely. and we reasonably could
expect this stimulus 10 be carried to
oil lines Of buSifleSS