The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-04-30

the situation. Those kind Of quar-
tiers simply aren't available on any
terms whatever.
The suggestion of a tough, ener-
getic epidemic getting started IN
the midst of such surroundings is
enough to scare folk who have to
live among them-who have to do
so. that is TO say, until the con-
tagion gets them and they're cart
ed out 10 the cemetery.
What makes it particularly in
teresting. from a national stand
point, is the large proportion OF
extremely prominent people who
hang out here-just now, esPe-
cially.
The really big bugs mostly lodge
In classy hotels and snazzy apart
ment buildings, which presumably
are fairly sanitary. Nevertheless,
a first-class outbreak Of yellow
fever, cholera, typhus or some
thing, having once originated in
the slums, can't be guaranteed not
to spread around promiscuously.
This is no fancy sketch of the
futures possibilities.
Congress is talking about 1t.
q Health Chief Not Hopeful
The house of representatives has
a. District Of Columbia committee,
under Congressman Jennings Ran
dolph's Craftsmanship. and it's a
committee that has a District
health subcommittee. which re-
Gently had DR.. George c. Rutland,
the Districts chief health officer.
before it, to ask him for his prog
nostication. The doc wasn't any
too hopeful.
The Districts IN no shape to
take care Of a mean epidemic,
either.
Already there isn't a hospital
bed unoccupied. Fall i'll, and you
stay that way in your own domi-
cile. You'll be lucky if you find a
doc to prescribe for you. All the
medicos, under the out-of-date age
of around rs, have been conscript-
ed to doctor sick selectees. It'l be
worse as they're sent overseas to
tend soldiers and sailors and AVA
tors at the front.
Incidentally, Axis agents are
inspected of schemes TO scatter
germs Intentionally. Chungking
Spokesman have reported that the
Japs are doing it today in China.
Bubonic plague is said to be the
disease they're relying on.
They have the germs alright, ac-
cording to Chungking's story, and
the Russian version is that the
Germans have plenty Of typhus
bugs on hand.
Sums naturally are the incest
kind Of localities for the critters
to dig in, and slums are what
Washington is so prolific Of. But
how eliminate them with con-
struction so completely absorbed
by war work?
Neighbors Cool TO City
Ore thing Washington would
profit by would be by means Of the
District Of Columbia's expansion
into nearby Virginia and Maryland,
Virginia and Maryland don't like
being invaded, though.
Suppose you lived just beyond
the District, in adjoining Virginia,
in a house you'd bought and paid
for. Would you enjoy being evicted
and told to move into a trailer, to
make room for erection Of the wal
departments biggest building II
history?
Well, that's illustrative Of the
Jam in and around Washington.
It's a curiosity.
What this towns current popu
lation is, is anybodys guess.
It's grown at such a rate tha
there's no estimate Of II.
And the beauty OF II is that 1
never will shrink again. The gov
eminent NEVER shrivels. /
Washington isn't the biggest tow
in the United States at the war
end I'm no prophet.
Oh, yes. it's good place 70 hav
irvested IN real estate in. al pre-