Evening star., 1936-04-19
HOUSING
HELD NECESSITY
Mrs. Roosevelt Cites Need
of Higher Standards at
Negro Meeting.

Mrs Franklin D. Roosevelt told
meeting of 500 colored persons last
night that training for a higher stand
ard Of living was necessary compile
ment to improved housing.
The habits formed by living in
standard dwellings, she said, Just
don't disappear-they have to be got
rid of by education
Mrs Roosevelt addressed the con-
cluding session of one-day confer
ence on better housing among Negroes,
held at the Miner Teachers College.
She said the beginning is really made
toward the elimination of ram
Shackle and unSanitary dwellings in
the Districts inhabited alleys.
I've actually seen some of the old
alleys go and now we're hoping to
see better housing for all people. re-
gardless of color, in the city of Wash
ington," she said I've always felt
that Washington should be the exam
pie for the rest of the country, the
place where people come to see how
things are done best"
Cites Government "Obligation",
Mrs. Roosevelt said the Govern
ment has an obligation to "see that
people who cannot pay beyond a GER:
tain rental shall still have decent liv-
ink quarters"
She also stressed the Importance of
environment in social destinies, de-
claring lack of proper and adequate
recreation and home atmosphere pro-
duced criminals. A real home is not
just collection of rooms, she said, but
a place dominated by wholesome per-
sonalities.
Mrs. Roosevelt's talk was preceded
by reports of earlier addresses and dis
cussions and singing by the Women's s
Glee Club of Howard University.
The first speaker at the conferences
afternoon session was Hilyard Robin
son. chairman of the Committee of
Architects supervising the Langston
low-rental housing project for Negroes
here. He said every family, "irre-
Spective of race, creed or income, y
should have some form of dwelling in
which to live with simple comfort
decent health and safety" The most
difficult problem in housing, he said
is the fact that those who need most
the advantages of enlightened mini
mum standard housing are those least
able to pay for it,
The future hope of American Ne
groes,' said George w. Beasley, presi-
dent of the Federation of Civic Asso-
Citations, depends on what comes out
of their homes"
Healthy Home Held Necessary.
DR.. Roscoe C. Brown of the Unitec
State Public Health Service told thu
conference an axiom of public health
practice was that you cannot raise
a healthy family in an unhealtn;
home"
Canon Anson Phelps Stokes, mem.
Der OF the Washington Committee or
Housing, which sponsored the con-
ference. emphasized the cultural ele-
mentS derived from the simple func-
tlons Of home and exhorted delegates
to a determination to obtain larger
and better living facilities for Negroes
The effects of poor housing on health
were listed by DR.. George c. Ruhland,
District health officer, who cited fig
ures showing how infant mortality
tuberculosis and pneumonia are re-
lated to rundown dwellings. Toe
many homes are built so sunlight and
proper ventilation are shut out, he
said. He asked his listeners active
cooperation with the city's health
program.
Before person can be educated tc
the higher standard of living provided
by good housing, he must have the
good housing, John Ihlder, executive
officer of the District Alley Dwelling
Authority, said.
Other speakers were DR.. Robert C
Weaver, administrati tive adviser or
Negro affairs. Interior Department;
Mrs. Clara Burrill Bruce, assistant
resident manager, Dunbar Apartments
New York City, and Mrs. Ethel Rob.
erSor Stephens, Howard University
Department of Home Economics.
Maj. Campbell C. Johnson, executive
secretary of the Twelfth Street Y. M
c. A, was general chairman of the
conference.