Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-01-02
Fact and Fiction
On Washington
BIZ Ben McKelUnu

Tie SENSE OF ENCOURAGEMENT which l
often have about this District in which
the National Government has its home"
The description is discouraging, for 1t
paints a picture of the National Capital
as black as the sin which, one infers,
must flourish in q population crowded
either in boarding houses or slums and
ridden by disease, filth and degrading
poverty. The writer, In fact, quotes a
congressional committee absurdity
doubtless the D'Alesandro subcommit-
tee report) to the effect that 100000
people. both white and Negro-half of
those in the District Of Columbia-were
living under slum conditions in 1913"
Genuine natives Of Washington are a
curiosity" he says, attributing to this
phenomenon the conclusion that there
is little civic pride in the glorined room
ing house atmosphere that is Washing
ton" "Washington's tuberculosis and
venereal disease rates are among the
country's highest. i" - Washington led
the Nation in the last half of 1912 In the
number Of servicemen acquiring venereal
disease for every 100000 population
1873. as compared with u In Baltimore,
IS in st. Louis, "a in New York and only
IT'S In Chicago" There is more along
the same line.
These and other exaggerations about
Washington have become so common as
to be accepted by many as fact and the
average citizen who reads them must
think Of his Capital as combination Of
the less desirable characteristics of
Sodom and Gomorrah. While they irri-
tate the Washingtonian who knows his
Washington, their publication, ironi-
cally enough. is not without its cumula-
tive advantages. The broadcast Of such
transformation about Washington
brings needed pressure from the outside
for remedies which are available through
appropriation of public funds But dis
eliminating criticism, which points out
the bad spots without condemning every
thing, would be more helpful in the end.
One Of the common folktales about
Washington is the rarity Of native
Washingtonians. The book in question
describes them as "curiosities" Accord
Ing to the 1880 census comparable 1910
statistics do not seem yet to be avail
able), there were then 180,s64 such
"curiosities" in Washington, CONSTITUTE
ing about 81 per cent Of the population.
II Washingtonians born in Maryland
and Virginia were counted as natives, as
thu uyp,,lN Doll
San Franciscans born in Maryland and
California, respectively, the ratio Of ma
tive Washingtonians was So per cent in
1880, as compared with Baltimore's u
per cent, Boston's So per cent, Buf1alo's
60 per cent, Cincinnati's 81 per cent,
Milwaukees 66 per cent, Newark's So per
cent and San Francisco's A per cent.
Not bad showing in local curiosities.
Washington has large transient pop
ulation and many war workers are living
in crowded boarding houses, hotels and
even barracks. But such facts do not
support conclusion that there is little
civic pride in the glorified rooming house
atmosphere that Is Washington
While Civic pride" is a rather in
tangible quality, hard to measure, it is
ridiculous to claim that 1t is nonexistent
or dincult to discover In Washington.
The civic pride Of its residents has been,
and 1t remains today, the most COM
polling force for the development Of the
Nations Capital-spiritually and physi-
cally-since it was carved out of the
wilderness. There was failure here to
reach Red Cross goal in 1924 humi-
liating exception, incidentally, although
not difficult to explain. But in respond
ing to such appeals and in the effective
work of its citizens for community inn
provement, despite their political handi-
caps, 1t is to be doubted if any city in the
country has more fundamentally sound
foundation of civic pride" than exists in
Washington.
III
Continued criticism Of Washington's
high tuberculosis death rate Is beneficial,
for it tends to spur public opinion to
demand remedial steps requiring outlay
OF public funds. But such criticism is
resented when presented to indicate
complacency over things as they are.
For in tuberculosis, as well as in other
fields of public health, Washington is
making splendid record for improve
ment which will continue with public
support. 1t is paradox, common enough
under the complexities of local govern
ment, that the health officer under
whose administration these gains have
taken place, has been recommended for
dismissal by Senate subcommittee on
the strength Of what it said it found at
Gallinger Hospital.
The latest reliable comparative stats
tics on tuberculosis mortality, published
by the National tuberculosis Associa-
ton, are for 1941. They show Washing
ton as seth among AZ large cities in total
tuberculosis deaths. The tuberculosis
death rate among whites (36 per 100, 1000
is 18th among "a large cities; for colored
d78 per 100000 it is eighth in 10 cities.
But the interesting fact is that WASH
ington's rate of 1923 in 1885 dropped to
72.8 in 1912, lowest in the Districts his
tory, and will show another substantial
drop for 1943. The rate of 1913 compares,
incidentally, with Baltimore's 865. No
one ever pictures Baltimore as plague
ridden city.
In venereal disease control Washington
Is making commemorate improvement,
noted by the Public Health Service as
third best in the country between De-
cember Of 194l and June, 1913. The steps
taken here have heep the rrhioc+ ~