DILAPIDATED HOUSES.

Evening Star, Issue 18332, 20 July 1923, Page 2

DILAPIDATED HOUSES.

TO TITE EDITOR.

Sir, —It is kind of Mrs Leech to exempt me from “those to whom she does not usually attach importance,” but I am sorry eho should have found my letter so full of inaccuracies. I have no desire to enter into further controversy on the subject, but trust you will allow mo space to deal with two points—all I can trace as coming under that heading. In her first letter Airs Leech pleads for the ideal of “decent houses for decent people at a decent figure.” Please note the “ decent figure.” Yet she now says her letter contained no reference to rents, loans, or interest. Where, then, does the docent figure come in? Surely under one of theso_ headings. Xo doubt, if material is supplied at half-cost and workers give their labor for starvation wages, the ideal figure can be attained;; but I submit that the only alternative to such economies lies in charitable assistance. Can this bo regarded ns an inaccurate statement of the! position? I

It is unfortunate that idealists like, your correspondent allow themselves to he led away by enthusiasm and; ignore hard facts and tho constitution of human nature; for in their doubtless well-meant efforts they merely increase feelings of discontent, and do little to alleviate a state of things wo must all deplore. I suppose a common ideal of life is to enjoy health and happiness ; but who can honestly say that such aims can he achieved by meetings of welfare organisations? It would no doubt he comparatively easy to replace dilapidated houses on the lines advocated bv Mre Leech, but how many of the occupants displaced] would ho able lei go into tho new ones unless assisted by charity, and for how long would many of the homes remain decent?

Regarding tho other “inaccuracy,” I have only to quote Mrs Leech’s own words that she was the spokeswoman at the meeting of ladies to show where tho inaccuracy lies. At that meeting of ladies a proposal was rejected by them. Had it been carried out I make bold ’ to say that tho amount, required to complete the war memorial would have been in hand ere this. I can afford to ignore tho cheap sneer with which Mrs Leech closes. My record in collecting for worthy objects is sufficient answer.—l am, etc., M July 20.