The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-07-02

Congress Worried
by OVercrowding
in Washington
BY Charles p. stewart


CONGRESS Is seriously worried
over health conditions In Washing
ton. The House OF Representatives.
committee on the District OF Col
umbias affairs has a health sub
committee which issued a report
on the subject the other day, and It
threw an undoubted scare into
the ranks Of the legislators on Cap
itol Hill.
The Investigators declared plain
ly that a disastrous epidemic
threatens from the present situa'
ton. The idea shocks the lawmak-
ers on general principles and they
obviously do not fancy the notion
of being themselves in the midst
OF such an outbreak.
Mostly their own bunch are pref
ty comfortably Quartered, but the
investigatorisl committee mem
bers warn them that cItyful OF
undiscriminating germs, once on
the rampage, may be very dificuIt
TO confine exclusively 10 the slums'
The town has grown, since the
war started. at a rate that no emu
merator has been able 10 keep &C
curate track OF.
To be sure. II has spread Tar INTO
what previously were lis suburbs,
in Virginia. Maryland and even as
far away as Pennsylvania. TINS
belt today, however. is about as
badly crowded as the central area
and transportation, in and out, mas
become nearly a problem impossl.
bic 10 solve.
The growth not only has been
enormous, but it has been SO rapid
that the communlty's population
probably al least has doubled in q
couple OF years.
II already was sizeable concen'
tration, rather skimpily provided
with accommodation for its in
habitants, when the latest influx
began. Housing was at premium
Immediately. BY now park oenches
are scarce. There is not restau'
rant room for transients.
= Living quarters for would-oe per
manent residents are in the mos.
terrific demand, though.
Washington is being referred 10
OF late as the capital Of the world.
Perhaps the average capital mas
some slums. But how extensive are
tha District OF Coolumbia's? The
congressional investigators report
that fully one-half OF it's population
live under such conditions.
That half is packed into an area
OF only a little more than ihree
square miles. Forty per cent Of It's
shelters are referred to as "srruc-
turally deficient Nearly half OF
them are alley dwellings.
Now. what does structural -
hciency" mean
The congressiou committee sx-
piaiEs.
It means a house without Indoor
water supplies instance. no
indoor toilets-only little shacks
outside. aa in old days prior TO the
War OF Cecession. more than 80
yeaFG ago. IL is inelegant 10 refer
10. but it ia Illuminating as 10 It's
description OF the life OF about half
OF our capitals residents are lead
ing up to date.
Does not that hint AZ the cpl
demic the congressional health com
mittee is afraid Of, unless q speedy
remedy ia found
But how is II to be found? the
sewers are lacking. and wartime
labor is lacking 10 dig them in hot
haste. Yes, IN hot haste, II Wash
inEtor, at this season, is not the
hottest town on earth. for an cpl
denies breeding there is no other
place north OF the Equator.
Yet rentals are not 30 low.
The investigators scared up what
II says is a typical case.
A family OF eight pays $3.50 PEI
month.
They take in two families OF SIX
each per room. making-20 persons
TO a si1-room house. No toilets; no
nothing!
This il Characteristic OF the DIS
trict OF Columbia.