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Show THE RICH COUNTY REAPER, RANDOLPH, UTAH what bitterly) that if Whitcombe did show up again and clear himself, he (Stebbins) would not have much chance. Deep in his heart he caught himself harboring the disloyal wish that Whitcombe might be gone for WHERE LOYALTY ENDS 88 good. By J. B. M. CLARK Copyright. It was hard, uphill work for a that, but ultimately they while after WNU Service. news of Whitcombes exploded like a bomb the office of the Display ; Advertising company and left r, Stebbins, the assistant and and Miss .Wilcox, the and filing clerk, pale apd bewildered. It came in the form ;of a note from Whitcombe him-sel- f, written from a hotel in the neighboring town, and broke the unpleasant intelligence in the graceful .manner in which Whitcombe usually expressed himself. An unfortunate jaffair that happened some years iago, he wrote, and which I had hoped had been buried in the dead past for good and all, has been revived by some malicious person, and the law is seeking to lay hands jon me. The matter could be easily explained to reasonable people, but the law, to quotd Mr. Bumble, is ever an ass and an idiot. I have, therefore, decided to withdraw from ithe scene for a time. You and iMiss Wilcox are hereby released Jfrom any obligation, moral or That was all. Nothing about salaries for that month (then due), 'or what was to be done about the business, or anything. Mr. Whitcombe of all men! said Kitty Wilcox from between I would have trusted pale lips. him anywhere. Such a good business man he always seemed to me so masterful. Kitty had fallen for the masterfulness of Mr. Whitcombe from the day he had engaged her. j You see he never confided anything to me about the inside affairs of the company, and he kept the cash and the bank book himself, said Stebbins, a tall, abstracted, mild man whose disordered raiment had always been a source of irritation to Miss Wilcox. I have no idea whats what, Ill go around and see the bank. But Whitcombe was always decent to me paid me my salary regularly and aU that. We might try and carry on his business for him. I suppose hell turn up again get a settlement or something I think that would only be doing the right thing, said Miss Wilcox, I am eyeing Stebbins gratefully. sure the business will make out. The financial situation, however, proved on investigation to be bad. What Whitcombe had done with the cash that came in could not be ascertained. Very little of it was in the bank. Stebbins and Miss Wilcox managed to struggle along for a couple of months in heroic fashion. But then the end came. It came in the shape of a sheriffs officer with a writ of seizure. There had, it appeared, been a silent partner, one Spencer, who had accepted Whitcombes note. The news of the latters hurried departure had evidently reached this gentleman and he wanted his pound of fiesh. He seized what there was to seize which was not a great deaL But it rendered the situation hopeless. Stebbins and Miss Wilcox took counsel once more. That eliminates Whitcombe once and for all poor chap, said Stebbins. "And now that we are down to zero again financially I dont see anything for it but to ivind up. And yet there are several good prospects I believe the thing is going to go. But I would need to raise capital somewhere. I think we could swing it with a thousand dollars. But I dont know where to get it. He sagged dejectedly in his chair. Miss Wilcox puckered her brow in deep thought. WeH, Ill tell you something, Mr. Stebbins, she said at length. There i3 no doubt that Mr. Whitcombe by his energy and enterprise laid the foundation for success, although of course you have done wonders in following up. Lets be loyal to the absent one a little longer. Things may come right with him yet. Now I have a little money partly saved and partly left me by an aunt. ,Ill put up the thousand dollars you need. We will make a business of it between us. -Stebbins could only grasp his adThere are miring astopishment. some good sports in the world yet, . was his comment. I dont mind sticking it awhile yet for old Whitcombes sake. Im a little doubtful; now Whether he really deserves it but I will give him the benefit of the doubt since you wish it. Miss Wilcox blushed a little at this and At any rate, made no reply. Stebbins continued, its your business now. And ,1 am your very humble servant. He said this quite gallantly, such had been the effect of Miss Wilcoxs coaching since they had worked together. Indeed it was on the tip of his tongue to add: and admirer, but he thought it might look like taking an unfair advantage. Besides he saw clearly enough that she still admired Whitcombe, and he reflected (some THE book-keepe- . other-jwise- ." ; . began to draw ahead. Miss Wilcox developed an unexpected capacity for advertising slogans, and made several pronounced hits. Stebbins, who had never dreamt he might make a solicitor, began to find that men would listen to him that he could actually persuade them to do what he wanted. Miss Wilcox, of course, was his inspiration, and he told her so. But she said that all she knew she had learned by studying Mr. Whitcombe. The business grew apace; the staff was increased by the addition of a draftsman and a girl to relieve Miss Wilcox of the typing. And then Mr. Whitcombe returned. He came in one evening when Miss Wilcox happened to have gone back to the office to clean up some arrears. He found her alone in the inner room. Whitcombe was slender, graceful, curled, immaculate, and undaunted in the most tryHe was uning circumstances. daunted now, as he shook hands with Miss Wilcox, while his keen eyes took in the air of prosperity and the signs of increased business. I got my little affair straightened out, he said cheerily. It was all very foolish mostly misunderstanding. I have seen Spencer, too about the note, you know. Too bad the mean devil cleaned the place out. But youre still going, I see. Whos the financial genius? He glanced at Miss Wilcox appreciatively. She was worth glancing at too, with her pretty bare arms, brown eyes, and cheeks flushed with the joy of seeing her hero again. But she proceeded cautiously. Mr. Stebbins managed to raise a thousand dollars somewhere, she said demurely. And" so we are carrying on. We thought you might clear yourself and come back some day, and we tried to keep the business going for you. We are doing fairly well. Old Stebbins raised a thousand bucks! said Whitcombe sitting down and laughing heartily. What do you know about that! How did the poor simp do it? I think he got it from a friend, said Miss Wilcox, losing color slightly. Then she appeared to enter into his mood, for her eyes met his But of course he is kinda simple and slow, she said. We have to push him along. Youre. a bright little kid,! said Whitcombe Thats admiringly. why I chose you and for your good looks. I dont suppose theres any cash about the place? Im a little His eyes glistened avarishort. ciously. ' Theres only a few dollars in the petty cash box, said Miss Wilcox, again meeting his eye understand-inglBut I can write a check I now. Theres five hunthe cash keep dred dollars in the bank. Would you write me a check for "SLUMS MUST GOI says Straus Housing Authority Chief ens Washington Office, Ready to Fight Squalor By JOSEPH W. LaBINE Maybe, in the snugness of your living room, you thought American living standards were pretty high. But that was before a fellow named Nathan Straus became director of the United States Housing Authority. After less than two months on the job, during which hes talked freely, Nathan Straus has made Americans hang their heads in shame. Our housing con. ditions, he explains, are deplorable. the Federal with not connected Mr. Straus is Housing administration, which has been insuring loans on private dwellings and is now attempting to stimulate business through a housing boom. Although" hes interested in FHA, the monu- at last officially recognized that mental task facing Straus is to clean many Americans can never afford out the slums. He is administrator act. for the new Wagner-Steaga- ll For the present, all United States housing activities are aimed at the spectre of Recession, a severe dip in business which threatens to wipe out many of the past three years gains. President Roosevelt seeks to stimulate Americas financial pulse with a housing boom through liberalization of existing laws, as outlined in his special message to congress on November 29. The Key to Recovery.' Though slum clearance and private housing are two separate enterprises, both can help avoid Recession. Economists now regard a large volume of new construction as the keystone to further recovery. NATHAN STRAUS to rentsanitary living quarters. This recognition is one sign of a more common-sens- e attitude toward the housing problem. PWAs projects in New York, Chicago and other metropolitan points were successful in wiping out parts of the blighted area, but they failed because the intended tenants couldnt afford rents of $12 a month per room. Frills Are Nice, But Another good sign is Nathan Straus determination to give sensible housing without the frills that went with PWA projects. PWA sought ideal living conditions, incorporating cross ventilation, no walk-up- s more than three or four no room entered stories and $500, Miss Pretty? ".said Whitcombe advancing towards her and taking Would you do her hands in his. that for me? v Would I! she said drawing her hands swiftly from his grasp and rising to face him. Before the indignant anger that blazed .in her eyes he seemed to shrink within his clothes. And so the first thing you sought to do on your return was to miscall and rob your best friend the man. who has actually built up this business for you against your return. No, I wouldnt give you one cent neither would Mr. Stebbins Im not so sure about that, Kitty, said Stebbins voice from somewhere outside. He had come quietly in, and now appeared in the doorway of the private office. Its as well as I happened up just saw the lights burning from the street. He crossed to Miss Wilcoxs side and put his arm around her. I believe I might give him some money, Kitty if I had any to give. But I dont think theres time to go into money matters, Whitcombe. I saw one of the sheriffs men that was up here before, hanging around at the entrance to the building. I think you could get down the freight elevator if you went quickly.. Whitcombe went. And Mr. and Mrs. Stebbins are running the business to this day. N Although the social aspect of slum clearance has long been stressed in the United States, it was an economic development that led to establishment of the Housing Authority. It goes deeper than the current Recession. Blighted areas affect both the tenement occupant and the more fortunate (in some respects), n cities require taxpayer. fire and hospitalization police, large appropriations. Moreover, dilapidated residential areas spread like a neighboring destroying plague, property. Look at statistics a moment, from both social and economic viewpoints. Twenty - one per cent of Clevelands murders are committed in a slum district covering less than per cent of the citys area and housing Vh per cent of the population. In Harlem, tuberculosis is three times as prevalent as in the rest of New York city. y Similar convincing figures can be produced in any city of the nation. Unlike PWA, Mr. Straus does not plan to build apartments in the midst of yesterdays ruins. ' New sites will be chosen in unblighted areas and tenants .will be lifted away from the slums completely. In due time, if the Housing Authority is successful, all present slum sites will be evacuated. The property will then be open for commercial r development. New Homes, New People. Mr. Straus does hot believe that slum dwellers will create slum conditions wherever they go. PWAs experience has been good in this respect, proving that underprivileged classes are largely victims of cir-cumstance, ready to reform if given an opportunity. n dollar apThe present propriation is hardly more than a drop in the bucket, Mr. Straus admits. To rehouse the needy one-thiof our population would renew dwelling units, 10,000,000 quire compared with 120,000 units possible under the present fund. But half a billion dollars will help get the ball rolling and should demonstrate for all time the possibilities in slum clearance work. Business Man, Idealist. The newest of the New Deals administrators, Mr. Straus is probably one of the most capable. His experience with Hillside and other private housing projects equips him from the practical point of view, while his gives him enough of the' idealists viewpoint to forge ahead despite obstacles. His career has been varied, starting with two years at Princeton, two more at Heidelberg and a few Run-dow- slum-clearan- ce . . half-billio- . y. i Greatest of PWAS projects was Williamsburg Houses in New York, costing $13,459,000, covering 12 city blocks and providing homes for 1,622. The government expects to get half its investment back. slum-clearan- ce The small improvement in building evidenced last spring was hit on the head by rising costs, strikes, an armament boom and growing uncertainty about the future. Drastic action must be taken immediately, for America faces the worst housing shortage in its history. Speaking conservatively, we need 900,000 new dwelling units every year. Actually we built only 57,000 in 1935, 250,000 in 1936 and about 400,000 this year. The Wagner - Steagall bill was passed by congress last spring after a stormy three-yea- r legislative trip. Briefly, it creates the United States Housing authority which Mr. Straus heads. It provides half a billion dollars to be loaned state and municipal housing authorities during the next three years, for use solely in creating new dwelling units for the tenement population. Between 100,000 and 120,000 units is its three-yegoal. In addition to the loans, annual appropriations subsidy will be made to state and local authorities for making up the difference between the economic rent on houses built and what the renter can afford to pay. For 1938 this subsidy appropriation to- rd through another. Straus also likes these frills, but he realizes the necessity is to remove Americas lowest one-thifrom the slums into decent living quarters, not to place them in ideal houses. Homes built under the new Housing Authority will rent for $5 to $5.50 per room per month, if possible. Such economical housing will not conflict with private interests, Mr Straus claims, and with reason. No private builder can erect suitable housing in New York or Chicago to rent at much less than $12 to $14 a room per month. , . How United States Housing Ranks. Americas slum conditions are the worst in the Western world. No- rd social-mindedne- ss ar low-inco- tals $26,000,000. How It Works. The government will build no houses or'apartment buildings. Thirty states have already adopted enabling acts permitting them to set up local housing authorities needed for the new program. These auNatural Bridge of Virginia thorities can borrow 90 per cent of The Natural bridge of Virginia the cost of any project, to be respans Cedar creek, at a height of paid within 60 years. In addition 215 feet above the surface of that the 10 per cent building expense, stream. The bridge, like the fa- to must pay' at least one-fifauthorities mous caverns in the same region, difference between the low the was formed by erosion and consists rent charged and the economic of horizontal strata of limestone, The governments rent subrent. being the remains of the roof of a never be more than four-fiftwill cave or underground tunnel through sidy of the difference. which the creek once flowed. The a tenant cannot afford to bridge is crossed by Lee highway. theIf economic rent on his pay apartment, why should Named for Indian Chief and local housing the government Sodowsky was the name of the Indian chief from which Sandusky, authority pay the difference? The answer is that the government has Ohio, got its name. th hs . slum-clearan- ce Another slum vanished in Indianapolis to make way for Lockefield Gardens, which cost PWA $3,207,000. Rents average $22.80 per month for a three-rooapartment including utilities. where outside the Orient can more more as a department store official. squalor be found than in our own He once published the humorous metropolitan centers. Take indoor magazine Puck, rose from gob to plumbing for example. Though con- ensign during the World war and on the farm, was an active and liberal New York sidered a it certainly ranks as a vital health state senator from 1921 to 1926. factor in crowded city life. Yet 25 His chief interest, growing with per cent of American urban homes the years, has been t, have no bathing facilities and one-fifhousing. That, it seems, is are without private, indoor wa- the kind of a man who should head ter closets. Approximately 4,000,000 the United States Housing AuthorAmerican city families are without ity. . the barest modern improvements. Western Newspaper Union. m . non-essent- ial low-cos- th low-rent- al ' |