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The Commoner
VOL'. 14, NO. 10
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson's Work
for a Better Washington
Told by Grace Bicknell
Mrs. Bicknoll In the wife of Ernest
P. Bicknoll, national 'director of the
American Red Cross, who wont on the
cruiser Tonnossoo to the rollof or
Stranded Americans In Europe.
(Exclusive sorvlco the Survey Press
Bureau.)
When Mrs. Wilson came to Wash
ington to take up the new and trying
dutlos of the white house, she was
not deceived by the outer beauty of
tho city, but folt suro that lmprovo
nionts were needed hero as elsewhere.
When she announcod her intention of
seeing conditions for herself and of
helping In tho work of improvement
a now hope and inspiration came to
tho social workers of Washington.
Mrs. Archibald Hopkins was chair
man of tho Washington section, wom
an's department, National Civic Fed
eration, and I was chairman of the
committee on housing. Wo had been
"working on many problems together
but our chief interest was and still is
iu we anoys. For tins reason wo
wished to show those to Mrs. Wilson
first, bolioving that If we could arouse
hor interest, It might mean their fin
al abolition as places of habitation.
VISITS TO ALLEYS
So wo drove through alloy after al
ley, explaining that the death rate
was twico as high as on the street,
that one out of every two children
born In tho alloys is illegitimate; that
drunkenness and crlmo are fostered
by such seclusion.
, Among tho alleys visited that day
Was Goat alloy, where two hundred
people livo entirely Bhut off from the
public viewa law unto themselves.
Tho houses hero are mostly frame,
and we hope some day that these
liousos will bo torn down, wide open
ings mado through to at least two of
the four surrounding streets and a
splendid municipal playground given
to this congested district.
We wont also to Logan's court, one
of tho most congested, picturesque
vjce and disease-producing alleys in
the city; also one where not profits
on rentals have amounted to as high
as twenty per cent.
Then on to tho famous Willow Tree
Alley, whore between three and
four hundred people, negroes and
Italians lived within threo blocks of
the capitol undor most shocking con
ditions. After much, discussion and
five presidential messages, congress
finally appropriated $78,000 for the
Condemnation of tho property in this
alley. When we wore there tho
houses wore nearlv all torn rinwn
leaving a clear space within the bloclcj
ui uetween tour ana nve acres. Mrs.
Wilson immediately thought that it
would bo an excellent thing for the
neighborhood if a municipal wash
house could be located at one corner
of this square. She afterward talked
Of this hone in a numhnr of ofllnlnln.
- J11' ner dream is as yet unrealized.
will make an appropriation for buy
ing tho property on tho four sur
rounding sides, so that this can bo
made into a splendid open play
ground. On another day Mrs. Wilson visited
our group of sanitary houses. We
call it our group because our hous
ing committee has charge of the
houses and we omnlov a social work
er who collects rents and looks after
tho tenants according to tho Octavia
Hill plan. Tho houses were con
structed for the sake of deraonstat
mg that small sanitary houses could
bo built, rented for a reasonable sura
and yet, by good management, be
made to pay a fair profit. The 109
two-family houses in this group of
from two to four rooms and a bath
each, rent from $7.50 to $12.50 per
month per family, pays five per cent
on the investment besides the two
per cent allowed for repairs and two
per cent ns a reserve fund for the
purpose of rebuilding.
Mrs. Wilson was charmed with
these houses as she had been distress
ed with those in the alleys, and was
delighted to see that tho houses were
occupied by colored people, the race
for whose elevation she had loner
been working.
WINNING CONGRESSMEN
After Mrs. Wilson joined our cru
sade, people flocked to our standard
and everybody wanted to help in the
alleys. It was laughingly said that
no one could move in polite society
in Washington who could not talk
alleys.
We mado daily trips through the
alloys with - congressmen and others
always ending at the sanitary houses
illustrating by these, how the. alley
people might be housed if we could
get them out on tho strpnt m
Wilson often went with us and when
wo nau some one we were especially
anxious to win over to our cause, that
one was invited to accompany her.
A committee of fifty on alleys was
formod. William C. Woodward, who
had gono through the alleys, first as
district physician to the poor, then as
district coroner, and now as health
officer of the District of Columbia,
and who knows the demoralizing in
fluence of tho alleys perhaps better
than anyone else, wrote the bill. It
was endorsed by Commissioners New
man and Siddons, and Anally sent to
congress as the commissioners bill.
It was also simply known as the "Al
ley bill," and as "Mrs. Wilson's bill."
During her illness and anxiety, Mrs.
Wilson did not lose interest in her
bill and even though she heard noth
ing or it. on the very last morning
of her life, she said to the presi
dent: "I should bo happier if I knew
the alley bill had passod." Hearing
of this, Mr. Tumulty sent word to
congress.
word of its passage was sent to Mrs.
Wilson a short time before she lost
consciousness.
This substitute bill has already been
protested by both the chamber of
commerce and tho board of trade, al
though both organizations are in fa
vor of tho original bill. They claim
that the substitute contemplates the
absoluto confiscation of about $2,
000,000 worth of property. In spite
of this opposition, however, it was
reported from the district committee
of the house and on August 24, was
dobated upon the floor of the house.
On tho next district day, September
14. this substitute allev bill nassed
the house. If it is signed, by the presi
dent, wo shall hope to have supple
mentary legislation enacted providing
for the enforcement of the law In a
manner which will bo fair to both
the tenant and owner of alley prop
erty. Mrs. Wilson's activities also extend
ed In many other directions. She
visited the associated charities very
soon after coming to Washington, be
came -a contributing member, often
attended the weekly conferences at
the central office and was later elect
ed a member of tho board. She vis
ited all the settlements, the presi
dent accompanying her to some of
the exhibitions at Neighborhood
house. She also aided in securing
laundry for the colored settlement;
was interested in the work for the
blind, was honorary chairman of the
District of Columbia branch of the
Needlework Guild of America, and
was active in the Southern, Indus
trial educational association for the
improvement of the poor mountain
wiutes.
Because of her personality and lov
ing service, the city of Washington
will ever hold Mrs. Wilson in grate
ful memory, and congress can pay her
no more delicate tribute than by en
acting into law, as a memorial to the
wife of tho president, the bill in
which she was so vitally interested.
PROVIDING A PLAYGROUND
After all the expense of condemna
tion had been paid, there remaine'd an
.unexpected balance of $17,000. This
has since been used for improvement.
Willow Tree alloy has been converted
into a combination playground and
park, but it remains enclosed in the
same way that tho old alloy was, and
unless most carefully supervised, it
may be just as harmful in its influ
ence. It is hoped that later congress
A HOUSING LAW AS A MEMORIAL
As Chairman Smith was absent,
Senator Pomerene called the mem
bers of the senate district committee
together. One member objected to
the passage of the bill, not for the
tho reason that he did not favor al
loy legislation, but because he wish
ed tho matter dealt with in a still
more drastic way; for our bill allow
ed ten years for tho complete evacua
tion of all alley houses, and gave
owners of alloy property some possi
bility of redress. An amendment was
therefore added requiring this evacu
ation by July, 191S.
Unanimous consent was asked of
the senate by Senator Pomerene for
the consideration of this hm. tf ,,
i granted. The bill wns nnsnnri nn
l-nw..., V.UU
MR. ROOSEVELT ON THE WAR
At a meeting of the progressive
party of the state of New York held
in New York City on Wednesday of
last week, Mr. Roosevelt made the
following eloquent statement of the
spirit of patriotism and co-operation
WAS s;iould actuate all Americans
at this time. It will have tho approv
al, we are sure, of all good citizens,
Irrespective of party, creed, or race:
tJi?Mregr?fc. o recent yettrs the
policies which I and those like me be
lieved to be essential for the welfare,
the honor, and the greatness of the
American neonlo lmva k
faithfully carried out. But all that
IB past now and neither here nor
&Mm& C.riBi8' At thG men?
the United States, as one of the great
na".ns of the world, faces a crisis
Whif 5?S lready involved in war al!
most all the nthm. "r dI.
the world. Priflt. u "S"?B ?
troubles here, but let us be thankful
beyond measure that we are cftiaens
of this republic, and that our bur
dens though they may be heavy are
far lighter thai those that must be
borne by the men and wenS who
live other and less fortunate coun-
"I, for one, will act, and I am i,rQ
I am stating your feelings whn ?
progress ve party will act, throughout
this crisis primarily as American Mf
izens, and will work hand m Clt5
with any public servant and wm
any and all private . cUlienS whnWlh
good faith and disinterestiy "do an
that is possible to see thatThe United
States comes throueh tha !? i ed
harmed, and so wota foieftVK
conserve the honor and th llff fc?
of her own citizens aU so '
may be, to help in securing r as
justice for . al the ? SntffiF De?e and
kindThe Outlook B f mau"
MR. ROOSEVELT, AND THE PREs.
IDENTIAIi CONTEST IN 191C
Following is a special dispatch to
me iNew iorK Jtieraia:
Baltimore, Md., Thursday. At the
conference in New York on Wednes
day, after Mr. Bon&parte and the
other Maryland leaders had spoken
on the situation in Maryland, Mr
Roosevelt said he could best deal with
tho questions of party policy in Mary
land and indicate most clearly his
views regarding the course appropri-
u iur me progressive party there
by reading some extracts from a let
tor he had written to a gentleman in
Maryland who had promised to sup
port him for tho republican nomina
tion in 1916. This letter was written
in the month of AuguBt. He said he
had written substantially to the same
effect to gentlemen in Kentucky and
New Mexico who had expressed simi
lar intentions.
Colonel Roosevelt then quoted from
his letter as follows:
"I am very sorry to say that I do
not think anything whatever can be
done through the republican party as
now organized; in any event, as far
as I am concerned. The result here
in New York has shown that it is ut
terly useless for me to endeavor to
get any republican of prominence to
come out in sucL a way as to make it
possible for there to be" co-operation
between the republicans and progres
sives 'on any terms which I would
considor.
"In all big states the republican
party is more reactionary, more com
pletely under the control of the boss
es, than it was two years ago. There
is literally nothing whatever to be
done with it while it continues ns it
is now; it at present is as far as the
poles from the vital principles of
Abraham Lincoln republicanism, and
I am sorry to say that actual experi
ence has convinced me that any effort
to make a combination between the
progressives and the decent republic
ans for good government has resulted
oniy in tnese decent republicans be
ing forced into subservience to the
machine, and the machine gleefully
and screamingly announced that the
progressives have surrendered to the
republicans, so that the situation be
comes worse and not better.'
"There are certain states where
the republican candidates' have de
clared that they are for me in 1916,
and a few where they, with more or
less directness, announced themselves
in favor of the progressive policies.
As regards the announcement for
myself, I do not regard it as amount-
sJf anything, because it is of no
earthly consequence to indorse me
unless the principles for which I
stand are indorsed.
"Under these circumstances I am
sorry to say that I do not believe it
would be right in the contests this
urn ior tne progressives to support
the republicans in any state, no mat
ter what the republicans in these
5tajes may say, because in a great ma
jority of the states the republicans
nave come out with the utmost cyni
cism against the progressives and 'in
favor of all the worst practices of
tne Bourbons two years ago, and
Where this is the case, victory for re
publicans in any state, even though'
nominally achieved under the banner
of some man who says he is for me,
would in its sum total result in ad
vantages to the utterly Bourbon and
reactionary machines.
"Iff the republicans of Maryland,
Kentucky and New Mexico declare for
me, but at the same time keep in the
republican organization instead of be
coming progressive, they are' abso
lutely powerless before the republic
ans of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and the great
majority of other states where they
are bitterly and to the last gasp
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