The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-01-20

The burg wouldn't be able TO
build at a rate SUFFICIENT 10 put
residential or business roofs over
so rapidly increasing a swarm. or
anywhere near IL, would II? 1t
couldn't even throw up frame
shacks in short enough order, not
TO mention comfortable accommo-
dations.
It doesn't take long to nail an
ordinary woodshed together, but
a woodshed three or four stories
high and a city block in area is
quite an ambitious undertaking.
A matter Of simply one of them
wouldn't begin to fill the bill,
either They'd be needed in dozens
and dozens Of acres. and the job
of keeping them in repair would
call for a stable army Of carpen-
tiers. Furthermore, every little
while one Of them would catch fire,
SO that that department would be
eternally on the jump watching
over them.
Your towns police force would
be swamped, of course.
Mumps and measles would break
out too fast for your public health
service to deal with them, and
you'd be scared to death for fear
Of still worse epidemics, in such
state Of confusion and congestion.
Naturally your urban and SUBJ
urban transportation systems
would be hopelessly showed under.
That's Washington
That's the fix that Washington,
D. c., finds itself in today.
In one respect it's a meaner
problem than your towns would be
in a similar situation. Your mu-
nicipality's local authorities would
be entitled to meet their own
chaos to their own best ability.
Washington hasn't got any local
government. Congress runs it,
and congress is too busy with the
national emergency to pay much
attention to the poor capitals
miseries.
A congressional committee has
been discussing them, it's true.
Some Of the facts have been re-
vealed. but what good does that
do, with no measures adopted in
the direction Of relieving things?
The Washington Housing asso-
cations testified to instances OF a
dozen or more persons living in
one room and Of half a DOZEN
room-houses, occupied by half a
dozen families.
Health Officer Ruhlands warned
Of the danger Of a wholesale out
break Of contagious diseases, and
with no hospital accommodations
for the patients, if epidemics do
start.
District OF Columbia Commits
sioner Young has served notice
that the capitals local govern
ment (Which is something it hasn't
got. as above remarked) can't pos
sibly carry the load that's been
thrust upon it," It's collapsing
already.
President Roosevelt, to be sure,
has ordered a goodly number OF
our federal agencies scattered
from Washington to other cities
throughout the country, but the
orders being fought like fury by
congressman, who insist that the
scatteration will reduce their eff.
cheney. Besides, new emergency
agencies are being concentrated IN
the District faster than the scat.
terees are being scattered.
Situation Dangerous
II isn't alone that the janis I'm
comfortable.
It's referred to by competent
critics as dangerous at a key point
like the capital city-as calculated
TO hamper our wartime effort. In
deed. I've heard the statement
made that it's as bad as an avia-
ton bombing by the enemy would
be-that we're relieving them Of
the bother Of bombing us by
bombing ourselves right here in
the District, by confusing our
selves worse than bombers could
do IL.
Right in the midst Of things the
United Conference Of Mayors
mayors from all over the coun-
try, with Mayor Fiorello II. La
Guardia Of New York and civilian
defense chieftain. as head Of their
organization held a get-together
IN Washington, and, belieye me,
those mayors were scandalized by
the difficulties they experienced in