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whole cost of maintenance of these social centers. But they did not pose especially as reformers ; they simply wished to live natural, healthy lives, and they pulled up conditions to the level of their necessities.
Then followed a change of the moral conditions. In this again the residents of the settlements did not pose as reformers ; they simply wished to sleep at night, and the one arrest that was made was on account of noise. It happened to strike other disorders, and it was the beginning of a long and gradual improvement, in which the police took part.
The attitude of the police has always been sympathetic. This was due to the fact that the residents of the settlements were people who were a part of the community, living and voting there, and were placed in no unnatural or forced relations with the community. The police stood ready at all times to enforce just demands, and they found these residents extremely conservative, just, and reasonable no cranks, and thus always having the respect of the police. More- over, it was not a spurt, but an evolution in the most natural of ways, and the personal influence and work of the residents upon their immediate neighborhood were the chief forces that wrought the change. There was no attempt to reform anybody nor to save anybody ; but the residents only reformed the conditions so that they could breathe and wash and sleep ; and in this way they saved them- selves, and with themselves pulled up their neighbors. It is typical of how social changes must be wrought. Let the individual in the community in which he lives do his part and not try to shift it all on the police. If there is no such man or family in the community, then plant a social settlement there, whose members will lead perfectly natural lives, and protest when protest they must, and it will be worth a room-ful of paid detectives. One long-headed, conservative Vassar girl will put baby-blue leading strings on the stalwart police, and they will take orders from this quiet little woman, because she is so reasonable, is no politician, no crank, no intoxicated enthusiast, but simply a plain little woman wishing to lead a quiet, reasonable life in the community of her choice. It will alter the very attitude of the police, and this attitude will make unnecessary much of their usual work. Neighborhood House (Philadelphia), April 9, 1904.
E. B. W.
