The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-08-31
Harris Urges Support For Mayor Hayes In Effort
 To LtnproDe Housing Conditions In Waterbury

si,Tl7.O00 a year more than 1t re- ceives from this same area and the people who occupy the mansions on the hill have to pay the bill.
 South Boston
 In 1888, a study was made of a suhstandard area in South Boston, Massachusetts. This area com prlsed 769 families. The tax re- celpts from the area were $21,0SS, while the cost of the services of the city in this particular area amounted to $275,llS. In other words, the people outside this area had to pay a quarter of Q million dollars annu- ally to maintain this particular sore spot in the municipality. In a recent survey in Chicago, 1t was shown that it costs $S,2oO, 900 year to sup ply such muncipial services as police and fire protection, street lighting sewerage facilities, etc., for Q sum area that pays $S00,000 in taxes That means that the tax revenue IS only one-sixth of the actual cost oi the municipal services rendered. It means that 1t costs the city Of Cni- cago $2,900,00 to maintain the par ticular slum area. Don't you agree that this is not intelligent manage mentp And 1t is needless to add that If we are really interested m reduc- ing the tax rates of our cities, we should give serious consideration to our housing problem.
 Crime Factor
 If we continue a "do-nothing" policy, disease and crime are the price that we will pay for our hesi- tancy. We build hospitals to care for our sick and prisons to protect us from the lawless but we con- tinue to produce both in vaster numbers than can be cared for In either institutions. Just as sure as there Is a God in heaven, If we continue to tolerate our slum areas, our hospitals and prisons will be futile gestures.
 Mayor Hayes has already taken the first step in making 1t possible for Waterbury to benefit by the pro- visions of the Wagner -Steagall act. Senator Maloney, Senator Lonergan and Congressman Smith are giving every assistance possible in Wash- ington.
 Members of Rotary should have @ clear understanding of the prob- lems which arise in any community through indaquate housing, lack of housing facilities and the existence of slum areas. As leaders of public thought they should demand that something be done about these questions. They should be In the vanguard of those who are support ing this movement for a better community and better type of cit- izenship.
 Non Political
 This Is not e political question, It Is e social problem that must be solved. It is Q Humanitarian move- ment. For those who see everything in terms of dollars and cents, 1t is good economies.
 Of course, there are those who like to free themselves from any responsibility for these conditions, by smugly adopting @ holier than thou attitude, while they parade their own virtues before us; as if there were an answer to lack of in- heritance, poor early environment, 10 wwages, industrial accidents, sick ness, lack of education due co nee cessity and @ hundred and one other reasons that retard human develop ment. These are the Leyites of 20o0 years ago, who passed by on the other side when they saw fellow citizen. who had been beaten and robbed by society lying helpless by the wayside. They are the hit and run drivers of modern civilization.
 Rotary Spirit
 What we need today are good samaritans who are willing to con- tribute both of their time and their substance to the alleviation of Suf- fering among their fellow-men. We have plenty of these men in Rotary. You always know where to find them when any great humanitarian