The tribune independent of Michigan., 1935-06-22

ltionary defines oL"" 40 -
lllaws: "A foul back street or GU
one with a vicious popnla'ion'
liaM neighborhood.'
What about this definition iia'
! Those who are guilty OF kidnapinR
, Ico,.e from the sluasy Have hcs
, -. etc hold up men COME frfcm Ih'
. slumsg Are all III folks VINO 'S'
-, slums yicin.s degrading hrt
low?
Let us face this question square
Inv WHY do we have slumsy Have
lyou thought about this question
lWould YOU live on ful back street
lif YOU had the privilege o living
Ion the ront street? Would you live
lin an old run down unimproVed'
cold. drak. damp and disagreeaple
home II you could do better? The
urge to live in better homes is no
lrespector of persons.
America citnies have slnms not
because people are lazy vicious anu
low. American cities have slums
because OF the poverty and inahil-
ity OF the folks 10 improve their
condition
III you have no money and no
lob and are on the welfare, where
else can you live except in the
sIums. Negroes came 10 Detroit
because they were sent for by IN
dustrial enterprises that have piled
ND billions in net profits and laid
men off MS soon as possible. Many
)f these Negroes lived under bet
er conditions IN the south than
hey now live under Many Of them
ave high aspirations but no job
md no minev.
So we have slums, because some /
inc people have no opportunity to .
We under better conditions.
II is sad thai new homes Will be
rected In the slum clcarence dis
let in Detroit for families who
III earn about fifteen dollars per
eek.
Build all the home You like any
nd any size and fill them with
,ople who earn fifteen dollars
ar week and sx months 1t will
: perfect slum district
What else can be expected from
lch an earning capacity? Take
ums ont oi n mans salary and he
N take slums out OF the city.
ear down and build mp as much
. please hut yon Gill never
al ci;ies OF slums until the head
every family is given an oppor-
unit to earn enough money to live
bove thes lum levol. II a man Is
making sufficient money he will
ind decent home.
Let the Federal Government,
hift It's emphasis from slum clear
nee TO an annual wage. Daily |
wage means nothing. whatever the |
laily wage Is man may WORK
'nly one half the days in a ear
,r what must he do for the rest
II the year; luckily Is he II he can
Ike II out in a slum district.
Our American cities have great
moral responsibility which will not
be met until suchconditions arc
improved. This responi
s-bllity hasrapid,v Increased with
migration to the cities In 1904.
Detroit contained as many people
as all the Urban population Of the
United Statesin 1S00.ln 1920 five
percent OF the American people
lived in cities.
The trend OF population toward
the cities has continued until they
now hold the distinies Of the Re-
public. They are the seats OF gov
crnment. the courts and thrones OF
society.
Cities are full OF moral and po-
litlcal corruption. they are breed
ing places OF vice and crime The
Icity is the point where the social,
religious and political strain Is the
heaviest. But they are not the point
where our institutions to meet
such tremendous strain are the
strongest. Yet upon the rectituds
OF the city depends the salvation
Of our Republic.