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Show Washington to Drive 15,000 People Out of Alleys WASHINGTON, noted the world over for its cleanliness and order, has more than 15,000 inhabitants living in filthy alleys. Nine-tenths of these people are colored. These unfortunate alley dwellers must vacate their pres ent homes a year after the signing of peace with Germany, when an act of congress abolishing the alleys as places of residence becomes effective. Washington now faces the big problem of how to provide housing accommodations for these people in an already overcrowded city. Congress will be asked to help solve the problem prob-lem by appropriating $6,000,000 to erect 3,000 sanitary homes. About ten years ago the Alley Improvement Im-provement association began a fight for the elimination of Inhabited alleys in the District of Columbia. Other civic bodies joined the movement. As a result of their combined efforts a bill was passed by unanimous vote of both houses of congress wiping out th alley evil. The date set for the evacuation of the alleys originally was July 1, 1918, but because of the great congestion in this city due to war conditions, congress con-gress found it necessary to extend the date. The association is of the opinion that the building of 3,000 small houses, in view of the high cost of building, the class of tenants concerned and the limited time before the law becomes operative, cannot he left to private enterprise. enter-prise. The government must help, just as In other countries, such as England, Belgium and Scotland, the governments have done under similar circumstances. circum-stances. The alley law is not confiscatory, as the alley buildings can be used after the law becomes effective for garages, stables, shops, storage warehouses ware-houses and coal sheds. The elimination of inhabited alleys will not only Improve the health and .morals of the capital, but It will add greatly to Its beauty. |