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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1914)
o . w 4- I ft, fl Iv!' ,'f 11 f rri i fi i ti X. U 20 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 HI Mm i , V a a