It has always been surprising that a city like Chicago, with its extensive lake shore, should have no public bathing beaches and no bathhouses, particularly when one realizes that swimming within the city limits is prohibited. Other less auspiciously located cities have recognized the necessity of adecuate bathing facilities for the working people--the need of clean invigorating cool After for swimming in the summertime--and much said and written on the subject in Chicago.

At the City Council meeting yesterday, Alderman Stauber, Socialist, made a motion that five thousand dollars should be spent for bathhouses, one to be crected on the North Side, the other on the South Side. He added that there more no logal obstacles to providing such a grant, according to a report of the Committee on Legal Matters.

But the sagacious City fathers were not convinced of the advisability of 2building public bathhouses, and therefore voted almost unanimously against the proposal.

The City Council thereby indicated its disregard for the need of cleanliness. In the eyes of a civilized humanity, such an attitude must be regarded as more pernicious than a possible reproach for having spent the trifling sum of five thousand dollars, taken out of an increased tax levy.

The public will do well to remember the names of our wise City Councilors who intend to keep the poor people from bathing in the lake. For people cannot patronize privately owned bathhouses, and, besides, there are very few of them. [Editor's note: list given of aldermanic vote on bathhouse motion. Names of those facing re-election given.]