68 City Homes on Country Lanes 



achieve these blessings for the millions of our common 

 humanity — for those whose dream of a sweeter and 

 finer way of life is destined to come true. But here 

 we are still dealing with general principles underlying 

 it all. Let us return to Washington for this purpose: 



Here is a city of nearly 450,000 which goes on grow- 

 ing with each decade, and which in view of some ex- 

 pert minds may ultimately reach a total of a million 

 or even two millions. While it has few industries, it is 

 preeminently a payroll city. And of all payrolls in 

 the world, Uncle Sam's ranks first in point of depend- 

 ability. 



Here are tens of thousands of people engaged in 

 a daily routine which, for much the larger part of 

 them, offers little variety, and not the slightest opportu- 

 nity to exercise their initiative faculties. As a class, 

 their positions are secure, and their income certain 

 beyond anything that is known in ordinary industrial 

 walks. They can look down the vista of the years and 

 plan for their future with better assurance of con- 

 summation than almost any other class of salaried 

 workers. And yet, there is an end to the road — old age. 



This is not now the sheer drop it once was and is 

 yet for nearly all salaried workers except those em- 

 ployed by the United States. There is now an old- 

 age pension for Government people. But, while it 

 represents a progressive step in humanitarian legisla- 

 tion, and is particularly valuable because of the prin- 

 ciple established, it is almost entirely inadequate to 

 the needs of those living in the crowded city and hav- 

 ing no retreat in view. It breaks the fall, but provides 

 no comfortable resting place. 



